A Fire Rekindled
by HatakeRose
Summary: 8 upTheir families, enemies to death, tore them apart. But love had always prevailed, even if it was by death. Will they themselves for eachother? RW
1. Prologue: Goodbye Forever

A Fire Rekindled

_A/N: The title, well, it might be misleading. Is it? Or not? Depends I suppose. Well, enjoy!_

_Summary:_

_Oh Raye, Raye, where for art thou? _

_They met before and loved each other. But family affairs, dispute and honor kept them apart and for a long time they've been apart. When possibilities stepped in, who knows what happens in the tragedy Shakespeare- like story?_

_Disclaimer: The Sailor Moon characters, the Gundam Wing characters, the story of Romeo and Juliet, the idea of it I'm using does not belong to me and it is copyrighted to someone I don't know their name so no one has the right to sue me. _

*~*

****

Prologue 

****

In the night, two child figures stood in the deserted park. One was crying and the other tried to comfort.  

****

"Raye," thirteen years old Wufei whispered sadly, "Why are you crying?"

"You know exactly why I'm crying," a 12 years old Raye snapped at him, "You know…" A sad frown was carved into Wufei's expressionless face as he reached over and pulled Raye closed him.

"I know," he confessed gently, "I'm sorry…"

"Why do they have to be so cruel?" she cried silently in his arms, "They can't do this."

"Its is part of the tradition…" Wufei whispered, "That we must all be married to someone in the clan by the age of 13…and…"

"But that's not it is it?" she cried more loudly and pulled free from his hug, "Its because of that stupid rivalry between them isn't it?"

"Raye…"

"You know it is," Raye said through her tears as she stepped back from Wufei, "They're so selfish…"

"They're upholding the honor they had for generation Raye and…"

"And you don't want it to break do you?" Raye interrupted as hot new tears swelled in her eyes, "You'll let go of me for honor…"

"No," Wufei said in a harder tone, "I will not."

"But you will," Raye told him shaking her head, "But you will won't you?" Wufei shook his head and stepped forward and put his arms around her petite body and pulled it close to his.

"Raye, we're of different clans that are rivals but it doesn't mean I hate you…never," he whispered into her ears, "I will always love you and you will always be mine…"

"That's not what you're marriage contract said…" she told him curtly.

"Look…" Wufei let go of her and started digging into his pockets, desperately searching for something. He pulled out a small golden chain with a small gold circle, and a ruby in the middle at the end of it. Even in the dim light the ruby sparkled like a red diamond and even out beauty the gold that held it. 

"This is my engagement…necklace, the sign I will never forget you," he said as he pushed her dark, purple-red hair back and put the necklace around her neck, "No matter where I be." Raye touched the smooth ruby with tears building out in her eyes again. She closed her eyes and let the hot tears streak down her face and tickle her red cheeks.

"We're going back to Earth," Raye confessed quietly in a quivering voice, "Grandpa wants to go back and live Japan on earth." She bit her lips painfully and sobbed. Wufei looked dimly stunned and sighed in utter defeat.

"Be strong," said he putting his hands on her shoulders, "Don't be weak. Be stout of heart my love and you'll survive."

This made her cry out some more. She clutched onto her necklace stepped away from Wufei.

"Raye…"

"Raye, there you are!" a rather large woman cried out madly as she ran over to them. Her black eyes raged with anger when she saw Raye standing in front of Wufei.

"You boy, what're you doing out with Raye?" she spat at him and pulled on Raye's shirt, "Come Raye."

"Please Sayaka," Raye pleaded as she tried to free her shirt off her nurse's grip, "Wait!"

"Now young lady! You deliberately disobeyed your parents by associating with the likes of him! You know it is forbidden!"

"I don't care!" Raye shouted and clutched harder on the necklace. Sayaka saw it and glared at Raye's hands that covered it.

"Now what's this?" Sayaka asked slyly, there was evil malice in her eyes as she pulled Raye's hands away from the necklace. "A gift from him. No worth!" Raye fastened her hands over the ruby pendant as fast as she can again when Sayaka pulled on the golden chain and robbed her of her air supply.

"Hey!" Wufei yelled suddenly, "What're you doing?"

The chain broke and shattered into pieces. Raye gasped suddenly and breathed in heavy, short and stunned breath. She loosened her grip on the pendant and looked down on it. It was still glimmering beautifully and was untouched but the chains on both side was broken and short.

"Now," Sayaka breathed, "Come." She pulled on Raye again. Raye gave in to Sayaka and let her pull her with her while she secured the remnants of the necklace in her hands. She glanced at Wufei and bit her lips at him. They locked each other's gaze and for a long time none of them moved until they were but a speck to each other. Wufei said good-bye to her silently and pushed her out of his mind. He turned and headed back to his own home. And this, my friends, is the last time they saw each other.

*~*

_(A/N: Okay, Wufei was a bit too sweet to me but I thought he might be when he was a bit younger. So Please review! I want to see I how I do! You know I'm a big fan of Wufei and Raye, also Shakespeare! There's your Romeo and Juliet! I love that Story!!!! Okay, I'll calm down now…)_


	2. Simply Beautiful

A/R: Thank you so much for the review you guys! I really appreciate it but I almost killed myself because I made some stupid mistakes in the prologue! Here is Chapter One. I am sorry that it took too long. I had the constitution binder to work on, tons of other homework, then my dad disconnected the internet, and when it was reconnected, he was using my computer's output to set up another computer, and then I had to revise the chapter for the 10th time. But, here it is…

A/N: I see some people are afraid that I might kill them in the end. Well, my only warning is that I can be very cruel but still I am constantly debating with myself if I should kill them or not…~.~ (To kill or not to kill, that is the question.)

 This chapter is goes back in time before the epilogue, strangely. So it's sort of a slow start to the story.

I am not going to go entirely with the story basis of R & J, most situation are similar but not entirely and I will be adding more stuff. 

**

*

There was no one in the colony L5 that didn't know about the deadly rivalry between two of the dominant clan. The powerful Chinese Long Clan of famous line of warriors and the Japanese Shimoyama Clan of power samurais had this hating enmity since who knows when. Descendants from each clan loathed each other so greatly that even when one accidental meets the other and associate in public, it usually comes to a fight containing bloodshed. The police would be extra cautious when one is around the other.

The current Head of the Family of the Shimoyama Clan was Shinji Hino with his wife Naoko Hino. And their only heir for the next generation was a fiery tempered 11 years girl by the name of Raye Hino— their love, pride and joy.

Raye, with her rich, long, dark purple highlighted, black hair and her clear dark violet eyes had everything she wanted. Caring parents (Depends on how you will define 'caring' though), exciting life of training, special tutors, private escorts and nurses and money, lots of it. She had the beautiful, mysterious, exotic ravishing look that most boys love, and had more admirers then anyone can count. Of course, none of them included anyone in and having anything to do with the Long Clan.

Raye was full of mischief. She was a mastermind of planning pranks and getting away with it. And with her, Aiko Hino, her cousin, aided her in stealth and being a companion. Aiko was from the father side, her mother being the younger sister, had pure warrior bloodline from Shimoyama Clan side. She, and her sister, Mitsuko was brought up especially in hating the Long Clan. 

For Raye and Aiko, life couldn't get any better then it already was. They were a carefree two of a kind caring nothing about the brawls between the two rival clans. Even Aiko, who ignores everything her parents have taught her in hidden sight. She had a huge passion and interest for anything Chinese or European, which is forbidden by her parents, sadly.

Raye had two nurses, or rather escorts. One was the harsh, strict, grumpy and old Sayaka. The other was a young, joyous, romance and children loving, perky Akiko. Sayaka was racist and she had a medieval attitude. Akiko was a carefree nurse hired to take care of both Raye and Aiko because Sayaka was too old to chase them anymore. But Akiko herself was mischievous and let the pair do things against the family's order.

It was on Chinese New Year of their 12th age that this mischievous duo disguised themselves as Chinese girls and snuck off to a festival, just for fun. Not just any festival, the Festival hosted by the Long Clan. Aiko was unsure to actually go to a grand feast hosted by their enemy, but successful persuasion from Raye had forced her to come along both eagerly and hesitantly. 

In the cheery, warm atmosphere of the brightly lighted festival, Raye and Aiko danced and enjoyed themselves as if they weren't even part of the Shimoyama clan. They were carried away by the music and were drunk with pleasure and excitement. No one, yet, recognized them for who they were. But someone had to for who would not know Raye, the dark haired beauty, heir to the Shimoyama clan?

It was a girl whom Raye and Aiko had fought against when they were young that had recognized them. Her name was Jin and she always wanted to get back at Raye for embarrassing her once before, and she was also a descendent of the Long Clan. Finding this to be the perfect situation, Jin quickly made for the current family master of the Long Clan. And with a devilish grin she pointed out Raye and Aiko for the Master, telling them that Raye was an heir of the Shimoyama clan and Aiko, a descendent. The master nodded but told her that he will not do anything now but will later. Jin, angered by the Master's unusual calmness, stomped over to Raye and Aiko, demanding loudly that they leave. People around them stopped dancing and hoped that this wasn't going to be a breakout of a fight for both Clans were known for their quick anger and their skills in fighting.

"How incompetent and uncouth you are even daring to enter here!" Aki told them in rage. Raye stopped and faced Aki, so did Aiko after.

_Oh shit,_ Raye thought to herself in panic, _we weren't supposed to be here long! _Even though panic-stricken, Raye managed a bold front. Then an idea clicked in her mind. She nudged Aiko beside her as if to say, 'Follow me.' She took deep breath and slowly took hold of Aiko's wrist. Then, without a slightest warning, Raye sprinted into the crowd behind them. Aki, taken by surprise, stared wide eye at where they had been and tried to follow them but was carried away by the flow of the crowd.

"We almost got caught," Aiko, muttered angrily through her tired heavy breath and clenched teeth. "I promised you that if we get caught Raye, I'll strangle you to death." They were a few blocks away from the party now and stood in a dark alley to rest and hide. Aiko was in raging rampant and Raye was congratulating herself on that clever and quick escape.

"But we didn't caught," Raye pointed out tiredly, "Wasn't that fun?"

"That was stupid and utterly injudicious!" Aiko answered in outrage. 

"Ooh, don't use such big words Aiko," Raye warned sarcastically waving her left index finger playfully, "It might fry that small brain of yours."

"Would you—" Aiko was suddenly cut off by a quick streak of a silver flash that flew at her neck and stopped just before it slashed her. Raye jumped and parted her legs in a ready to fight position.

"I've heard," a cold voice of a male growled, "Its such a dishonor to your own clan don't you think?" Aiko whimpered. Raye cocked her eyebrows in a mild anger. She could only see the outlines of the figure.

"Weak," the voice said again, "Especially when you're a female of that petty Clan."  Anger boiled inside the fiery mind of Raye. Her veins were throbbing angrily and her heart raced madly. Her hands shook with compressed fury and were clenched up so tightly that the light pale shade of the bone knuckles itself was shown.

"If we are so petty," Raye began in a trembling voice. But trembling not because of fright, but of rage and wrath. "Then why are you even rivaling us?" 

"Because you wouldn't stand down and accept it," the voice replied. "Coming to this festival was a mistake."

"Is it?" Raye asked, "What're you going to do? Slash her throat? Go ahead…see if you can." A frightful, mad, and unbelieving whimper of astonishment was heard from Aiko. Raye ignored it.

"I don't bother with people who are weak," the voice replied. The blade lowered from Aiko's throat. "But you will the price for your intrusion."

"Try us," Raye said more bravely then she actually felt, "Come into the light so we can see you." He stepped into the streetlight and revealed himself.

"You're but a boy!" Raye gasped in astonishment. He was just a boy, probably older then her though but Raye had clearly thought he would've been much older. Dressed in Tang Dynasty robe of blue tank top and white, baggy pants held up by a sash, he stood tall, taller then her. His complexion was very lightly tanned with a fair muscular build. His eyes were a cold, gleaming black that stared out of the slanted almond eyes that was more slanted and pulled back by his seemingly tight, small ponytail at the back. To Raye, he was simply beautiful and she stared at him as if she had never seen anything like him before. His eyes and his stature both intimidated and amazed her.

Aiko watched Raye's eyes widen and her immediate reaction. She had never seen Raye like this before since the day they were given a real weapon to practice fighting with, but this was much more stronger somehow. She was marveling at him and Aiko had to admit, he was something to marvel at. But it astonished and panicked her that Raye might actually develop a crush on this guy, because Raye usually didn't like boys, especially boys who had almost cut her throat.

"You question age?" the boy asked in clear disgust. 

"A bit," Raye replied, "Like you question genders."

 _What a clever answer, _Aiko thought rolling her eyes.

He growled. "You're incompetent."

"Am I?" Raye asked slyly, "Then why bother with me?" Raye could see he was actually taken surprise by the question and she was slightly shocked that he seemed surprised. He shook his head faintly. Raye watched his every move as if in a trance. She never took his eyes off him and gazed at him, observed him keenly.

He was watching her watching him. Her dark violet eyes slowly moved around in its socket as she silently surveyed him. Yes, he had heard of her from some of his lowly companions of the Clan. Yes, he had heard how very radiant and beautiful she was. And it was true, she was radiant and beautiful, though mysterious looking. She wasn't like any other girls he had ever met. Her hair, instead of being pure black, dark purple highlights and her eyes were a beautiful, ravishing black-violent color. He found himself staring straight into her eyes and being beguiled and strangely fascinated by it. Clearly admitting to himself, yes, she was evidently stunning and…No, hold that thought, he's not supposed to think like that.

"So…" he began in a low whisper. To bury his astonishment by her, he pointed his sword at her.

"Don't hurt her!" Aiko shrieked from afar, "Raye lets go!"

"You go ahead," Raye, whispered, "I'll fight him."

"Are you crazy?" Aiko shouted at the top of her lungs, "I mean, he has that sword and you don't and…Damn it Raye, please listen to me!" The walls sent back an eerie echo of her voice, chilling her spine and making her shudder.

            "I command you to leave Aiko, NOW!" The echo followed.

            "Fine…" With one final, disgusted glance at the boy, and another revengeful one at Raye, she hesitantly turned and ran away from them.

By now, he was a tad bit confused, reluctant and stunned. She was going to fight a fight she had already lost; yet she seemed so confident that she would win. 

_The mark of your weakness, _he thought silently.

Raye turned to him; her eyes were large, observant and sparkled under the yellow light. She took a step forward, seemingly ignoring the sword. Then she took another cautious step, then another, then many more. She walked slowly until the very point of the sword was at her breast. His hands shook and slowly lowered. His emotionless face gave a spark of emotion. She smiled faintly at his progress. Finally, she locked her eyes with his and he was suddenly enraptured. He couldn't help but think, _Eyes of dark purple velvet, beautiful._ He certainly surprised his own conscience. 

No words had been verbally spoken, but their eyes told thousands more. She was herself mesmerized like him, and coincidentally, it was a beautiful full moon.

"Onna…" he manage to say suddenly, "I'll let you leave…" She smiled brightly.

"Thanks," she whispered, "I told you I can fight you." He looked shocked at her. Then slowly, she went forward and touched his hands, "Thank you." He shuddered at her soft touch.

"Just go." He grunted looking away, his eyes was now soft.

"I owe you one…" she whispered and then ran way into the darkness.

*~*

"I mean, I understood when you wanted to fight him, and congrats that you won, but I will not, ever, ever, Raye, go near him again!!"

This was Aiko's loud rejection the next morning in Raye's room when Raye asked her to deliver a message.

"I as might as well kill myself!" she shrieked, "'Cause I'm already dead when I step into their house!"

"Please," Raye pleaded, "Just this letter to him."

"What is it, love at first sight?" Aiko asked coldly, "I'll tell you one thing, that's unreal. Only happens at Disney."

"But—"

"No buts, no no no no, I will not."

"Aiko," Raye started calmly and pulled Aiko down to the bed and stared threateningly into her eyes. "I've never asked you to do anything before, so do this for me."

"You don't even know his name for god's sake!"

            "I can find out if you go to him, for me, 'cause I can't go, Sayaka is guarding me this evening."

            "You have officially lost your mind," Aiko said in a quivering whisper, "First, we sneak off to their festival thing, second, I almost got my throat slashed by your Romeo, and what'd you think he'll do to me if I go to his house?!!"

            "Aiko…"

            *~*

            Raye being such good at persuading Aiko, finally go her to agree. She wrote her letter and gave it to Aiko to deliver. Aiko dressed herself in a black ninja uniform ('When did you get that? Halloween?' Raye asked in amusement.) And, using the best of her skills in stealth sneaked off.

            *~*

            Raye pretended to pour over her books while really she was thinking and worrying about Aiko. Sayaka sat across from her, watching her intently, being convinced that she was really reading. 

            "Where were you last night?" Sayaka asked suddenly. _Oh shit…_

            "I was with Aiko," she said truthfully, she turned the page, "You know, hanging out." Amazingly, there was no hint of shakiness in her tone that suggested she had done this millions of times before.

            "Yes? Where?"

            "At the park."

            "Did you go somewhere else? I didn't find you at the park." Both Raye's mind and heart started racing rapidly, but very amazingly, she was cool as ice on the outside.

            "Walking around."

            "And?" The ice melted.

            "Damn Sayaka!" she suddenly screamed in Rage, "I'm 12, and I can take care of myself."

            "Young lady, don't you dare use that tone on me!" Sayaka roared, she grabbed Raye's wrist and slammed it on the table. "Tell me the truth!"

            "It is the truth," Raye shrieked trying to pry Sayaka's hands off of her. Sayaka, put more force on her hands. Raye groaned painfully.

            "Sayaka please…" she pleaded, "My hands."

            "The truth." She snarled.

            "Sayaka!" Raye sobbed, "Please." Pain, she felt pressuring pain from her left hands. It felt as if a ton of weight was slowly pushing down on it and crushing her bones.

            "SAYAKA!" a voice shrieked suddenly. Both turned their heads to the door and found Akiko glaring wrathfully at them. Sayaka instantly let Raye's hands go and looked up coolly up to Akiko. Raye, with eyes sparkling with tears ran up to Akiko and fell into her arms

            "What are you doing to her?" Akiko whispered lifting up Raye's limp left hand.

            "I'm teaching her discipline…"

            "Oh, by breaking her wrist?" Akiko growled angrily, "You have no rights to abuse her like this…"

            Sayaka suddenly stood up and stared strictly at them. Raye, from fright, rushed behind Akiko and hid behind her kimono.

            "That girl needs more and more discipline everyday," Sayaka whispered coldly, "I will be needing her back this evening." Raye whimpered more and hugged Akiko's legs and edged away from Sayaka as she passed her to leave.

            Akiko turned to Raye and frowned with utmost pity and sympathy. She took Raye's swollen wrist in her hands and gently rubbed it. 

            "You poor thing," she whispered, "What happened dear?"

            "She was asking me about last night." Raye whispered in a barely audible tone, "She…she didn't believe me…"

            "Where were you last night though?" Akiko asked softly, "We were searching all over."

            Raye thought about her answer. To lie, or not to lie? She trusted Akiko with her life, but she was doubtful that she could trust her with this. Raye stared absent-mindedly up at her Akiko, her tear soaked face now in an unusually calm state. This doubt was written all over her face and Akiko grinned.

            "I won't tell," she assured Raye. Raye nodded.

            "I was at the Long Clan's festival," Raye confessed, "Me and Aiko, but we got caught by Jin but we…ran away. Then we were caught by this boy…" She trailed off, his image flashed in her mind.

            "I…he was so…beautiful…" She closed her eyes meekly, "He let me go."

            Akiko was shining greatly with delight. "He was beautiful you say?" Raye nodded.

            "Simply beautiful…yet so complicated…"

            "So, why couldn't you just tell Sayaka this?" 

            "He's from the Long Clan, a direct descendent," Raye whispered painfully. Silent. Painfully silent. Raye started sobbing miserably. Akiko sighed sorrowfully.

"Oh child…" Akiko whispered and pulled Raye close for a hug, "It hurt doesn't it…?"

"Do you know him Akiko?" Raye asked through her tears, "He's about 13 or so, maybe older, and he…"

"I'm sorry sweetie, I don't."

*~*

_A/R: Well, I was a bit unsatisfied with the last two events but I went a bit brain dead even when I revised it a million time. (I really need a beta reader.)_

_A/N: Note, I did warn you it was a slow and boring start. I have that curse on writing…_


	3. The Start of a Painful Mess

_A/N: ^^ I promise I'll start with the real story when they are older when they are bigger maybe in the next chapter or the one after. _

*~* 

            Raye sat in bed, gently massaging her wrist that was now in layers of bindings. She rocked to and fro under the red cotton blanket, staring absently out into nothing, waiting for Aiko to come back. It had been 6 hours now and she was getting worried.

Just as she thought this, the door opened and the black ninja slid in and closed the door gently behind. The ninja uncovered its face, and as Raye knew, was Aiko, with a red, and terribly sweating face. She was breathing as if she ran a mile and was unable to speak.

            Raye jumped out of bed and went to her.

            "Aiko? Did you get to him?" she asked. Aiko looked up with red, slightly mad eyes.

            "Yes," Aiko replied in a low, angry whisper, "I did. He really wasn't happy to see me, and nor I him." Raye smiled faintly.

            "Did he say anything?" she asked eagerly, shaking Aiko, "C'mon!"

            "He sent you a note." Aiko replied. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She handed it to Raye, who snatched it out of her hands and quickly unfolded it to read.

            "Oh sure," Aiko was mumbling sarcastically now, "Don't ask how I am and just about your boyfriend. That's real friendly."

            "How are you Aiko?" Raye asked absent-mindedly with her eyes still on the letter.

            "I'm almost fine, I'm really tired." Aiko replied and slumped onto the bed, "And as I said, he wasn't too happy to see me, that bastard."

            "Aiko," Raye whispered excitedly, apparently unaware of what Aiko had just said, "He wants me to meet him! Saturday at midnight!" She turned to Aiko, who was now giving her a hateful glare.

            "I have to go!" Raye continued.

            "I know," Aiko replied and sighed deeply, "But…"

            "You don't have to come, Akiko will cover me," Raye assured Aiko and patted her back, "I've told her and she seems okay…"

            "Okay…you go ahead and try to get something, or someone you can't have." Aiko stated quietly, "You know that Raye, no matter how much you're in love with him, you can't be with him. Have you forgotten which Clan you are an heir of?" Raye frowned and put on a small pout.

            "That doesn't matter," she whispered darkly, "This is what I want Aiko, and I'll give up my life if I have to!"

            Aiko stared at her with disbelief. _What the hell is she saying? Is this really Raye? No, someone must've put a love spell on her. Dear god, I kill whoever did this…_

"Raye, we're only 12," she said slowly and kneeled down on the floor, "This isn't going to matter to anyone."

"So you're not going to help me?" Raye asked fearfully.

Aiko grimaced sadly at her. She stared piteously at Raye for a while, wondering vaguely how long this was going to last. Then she noticed Raye's left wrist.

            "Raye?" she started reaching out for her wrists and gently lifting it up, "What happened to your hand?"

            "Nothing, Sayaka broke my wrist," Raye replied shrugging as if this happened everyday, "Now, don't change the subject, are you going to help me or not?"

            "Your parent really need to fire that psychotic nurse before she goes breaking your neck." Aiko commented softly, ignoring Raye's order. She paused and messaged Raye's wrist gently as if it was a baby pup. "I'll help you Raye, to get him. His name is Wufei Chang."

            "Thanks." 

            "That's only because I really pity you…if you're father finds out, you're already dead and it ain't my fault."

            *~*

At 12 midnight of Saturday, Akiko dropped Raye of the Central Park.

"Call me when you want to come home 'kay?" Akiko said sweetly from within the car. Raye nodded eagerly.

"Good luck child," Akiko wished and drove away.

            The light breeze that blew nipped the air with a bitter cold. The park was deadly calm and quiet except for the rustling of leaves and her echoing footsteps. Raye was in the center of the park, where there was a beautiful lake with many exotic wildlife and songs of birds. But that was in the morning, now, the lake was a placid, black mirror that reflected the brilliant yellow moon above and nothing stirred. She pulled her red fleece coat closer together.

            A lone figure stood on a small harbor by the lake under the pale yellow light of the harbor lamp; it's eyes shining in the moonlight as it waited for Raye to arrive. She, excited and eager, ran to the harbor and skidded to a stop just about a foot from the figure. 

            "Wufei," she whispered, "You wanted to talk to me?"

            "Raye, is it?" he asked quietly. His voice wasn't cold as it was before but it was soft and warming. Raye nodded.

            "Your cousin came," he continued in a serious tone, "I'm surprised you went through all that trouble…"

            It was that kind of statement that demanded an answer, the kind that asked a question with literally asking it. Raye bit her lower lip and mentally rummaged around in her brain about what to answer. Strangely, she had forgotten why she had been so psyched on seeing him, and besides, he was the enemy.

            "I really don't know," she admitted, "But I just wanted to see you." 

            _Pitiful answer_, Wufei thought, _stupid, yet amusing. Heh…I was actually expecting something else from an onna like her…_

"That's it?" he blurted out without his mind's consent. 

            "What'd you mean?" Raye asked, eyeing him strangely in the faint light.

            "Never mind," he answered and paused. He was looking at her even though all she could see was her vague outline in the dark but he wanted to see her. "Come closer Raye, into the light."

            Raye did as he told and stepped more closely to him, into the little light there was. Now he could see her clearly. Her bangs were pulled back from the wind when she was running and her cheeks and nose were rosy from the chilly air. Lovely.

            "I usually don't do this," he told her, "I shouldn't be here."

            "Then why are you here?" she asked.

            "I don't know." He quickly answered truthfully. Raye quirked her eyebrows at him and smiled amusingly.

            "Nor do I." She said, "I shouldn't be here either."

            "Then why are you here?" he asked. He lifted his eyebrows upward in a witty, knowing sort of way.

            Raye grinned and stared at him with faint amazement. "You're mocking me aren't you?" she asked. He shook his head.

            "No, why would I mock you?" he asked, his voice contained a slight note of amusement.

            "Right…" she muttered sarcastically, "Just because it's dark doesn't mean I don't see that face of yours…" He didn't answer but merely shrugged. Raye shook her head in disbelief.

            "Wufei…" she began playfully and giggled, "C'mon, lets go into the rose gardens, sometimes there are fireflies out!" She seized his hands and started running along the path that led to the gardens. He didn't stop her but went along with her and even tightened his hold on her hands. He had no reason to stop her. Secretly, he enjoyed the wind blowing in his face and his bangs starting become loose. It was a wonderful sensation, something he had not felt in a long time, even when he was training and running like at his home.

            She stopped at the entrance of the garden that was marked by two red rosebushes of either side of the path. And she was right; the fireflies were out and were glowing happily in the bushes. The looked like yellow twinkling lights, it was a very breathtaking and beautiful sight. Raye gasped delightfully and looked up at Wufei, who was gazing the fireflies as if he has never seen anything more spectacular.

            "Beautiful," she whispered. Slowly, they both walked into the garden, hands still unintentionally and instinctively holding on to each other. A line of firefly flew past them, giving off a golden glow. Raye attempted to catch a firefly with her free hand but only succeeded in scaring them away. More desperately, she let go of Wufei's hands and with both hands, jumped to catch a firefly. But eventually she failed and stumbled onto the grass on her knees. Wufei shook his head and with professional like skill, he walked over to a glowing bush nearby and gently collected a few of the fireflies in his palms.  He turned back to Raye, crouched down by her and slowly opened up his palms to let her see the fireflies in his hands. 

            "Wow." Raye said softly, "How did you learn to do that?"  She looked up at Wufei, whose face was incredibly close to hers. She could hear and feel his warm breath tickling on her face. 

            A very mesmerizing moment that was. Somehow, he was so taken by her laughing, lovely face.            A strange passionate feeling was blossoming in his chest; his heart was pounding fiercely, pressured by this alien feeling.

            Raye was gazing into his eyes, becoming uncomfortable by the second yet she couldn't avert her eyes. The fireflies in Wufei hands, unknown to them, had fluttered away to freedom and back to its bushes.  

            Wufei leaned closer that their noses touched. Then slowly, their lips touched. Raye let her mouth open a little, nervously accepting the kiss he was offering. 

            An indescribable sensation passed through the both of them. Their tongues gently glided and caressed each other; their mouth gently embraced each other but slowly, like a toddler learning to walk. Raye broke away from the kiss and breathed in heavily.

            "What was that for?" she breathed. He shrugged.

            "You're acting so unlike you." Raye said with a giggle.  She touched his cheeks.

            "Is that a bad thing?" he asked seriously (Though you would expect guys to be playful in a time like this.).

            "Nope, I don't think so." Raye slouched down on the ground, ignoring the tickling grass in her hair. "Lay down Wufei, the grass smells wonderful." He laid down next to her, though quite hesitantly at first.

            "Look at the stars," she commanded in a passionate voice. 

            He did, though with a skeptical sigh. _People can be this passionate about big balls of gas…_

            "Do you see that really bright star?" she asked pointing at star, slightly bigger then the rest and it glowed an ember color and not yellow or white like the others.

            "Yes." Wufei answered flatly, "Why?"

            "That's Mars," she informed him, "I want to visit it someday…"

            "You want to be an astronaut?" 

            "Yep, I want to go out in space and walk on the planets." She turned to him with a clever grin on her face. In a low whisper she continued, "Grandpa told me of an old legend about the planetary princesses and the all-powerful Kingdom of the Moon, ruled by a beautiful silver-haired Queen."

            "Well, as you can see," Wufei said as he turned his head towards the moon above, "We're this close and I see no kingdom."

            "It was destroyed thousands of years," she told him sadly, "Sometimes, I have dreams about that legend…weird isn't it?"

            "You're too immersed in these unimportant things."

            "I don't fell its unimportant," she said persistently, "But you can say what you think."

            No answer. Just a long, silent pause right after. The fireflies zoomed around them, dancing their secret dance of fire in the shining moonlight. 

            "Wufei," Raye whispered and sat up, looking into the midnight, star spangled sky.

            "Yes?" he asked sitting up also.

            "I like you a lot, you're different…" She said all of a sudden making Wufei raise his eyebrows questionably at her. She faced him and stared long into his cold, glaring eyes. 

            Raye continued in a miserable whisper, "But I seem to have forgotten my name and my clan..." Wufei suddenly snapped out of his romantic, stunned mood he had been in for the last 30 minutes and back to the reality of life, and he suddenly remember who he was and who she was. He was now speechless and stunned, at himself.

            _Why didn't I have remembered before, _Wufei thought angrily to himself, _Before I went out a poured out my soul to an enemy…Damn, I must be weak…this onna is weakening me…I must stop this…_

Planning on setting this straight, he turned to her to confront her but couldn't. Something was stopping him. He couldn't give her away now; he couldn't throw her out of his life just like that. No, but he must. Nonetheless, every time he decided and forced himself, he found out that he couldn't. His heart and that affection, the same affection that made him even kiss her in the first place stopped him. He was secretly fighting amongst himself; a war between his heart and duty was raging inside him. Raye's absent, dreamy stare out into the night sky with the light of the pale moon reflecting her flawless, rosy skin and her soft, black hair flowering down to her shoulders causing her to look irresistibly lovely didn't help either.

            Then he noticed there were tears in her eyes. Pearly tears reflecting the moonlight.

            _Bleeding heart of a girl, they have weak hearts._

"Don't cry," he commanded, his order came out sounding cold and harsh. "Its weak to cry." Raye breathed in a shuddering breath.

            "Then I must be weak," she said, "For I cried many time before…" 

            He ignored this. In his clan, they were trained, taught, even the females, not to shed a tear too often or at all. She was weak, yes, that was it, but she _was _weak. She openly admitted it, she had stood up to him, defied all her orders, made him melt under her beauty and charm. This made and proved that she was strong, maybe more then him, but definitely more then any other girls he had met in his lifetime. Strangely, he had a bit of pride of her being strong._ Yes, she's strong…for a girl…, _he thought amusingly. There was a pleased, faint smile on his face that he had but unknowingly.

            "Why are you smiling?" Raye asked bitterly. He snapped out of his daze and looked at Raye who was staring dangerously at him.

            "You smile at wrong times Chang," she went on bitterly, keeping the glare on her red, puffy eyed face.

            "…."

            "Right," with the same bitter tone she said. She stood up solemnly, "Lets go now, its getting cold." She waited him to stand up, and when he did, she gently grabbed his hands and kissed it.

            "I want to go home," she whispered.

**

            Wufei escorted back Raye back to her home, where he watched her sneak in back to her room by climbing up a small balcony from a Sakura tree. She said a passionate goodnight and disappeared into her room.

            Wufei left after a minute or so, savoring tonight's unusual activity in the park. He couldn't think of anything pessimistic now, just happy thoughts and love thoughts about her. The dark beauty that will always hold an important place in his heart and arouse his love, affection he had never shown to anyone else.

            *~*

            Days went by, weeks. Yet their love grew stronger and their neglecting of their bloodline grew also. Wufei was even daring enough to visit her at night at her home. Aiko became officially worried but was ever so delight to see Raye so devoted and in love with him. No matter how much Aiko despised Wufei, she had a soft heart for Raye. Though she did complain that Raye seemed to have more patience with him then she does with her. But the complaint came and went and she herself grew quite fond of Wufei, a little. Then her worries went and she forgot about warning Raye. Akiko knew the day would come when they both are separated but she let Raye love him and take delight in this very rare loving devotion at this age. But she guiltily knew, somehow, that she might regret this. 

            And she did. 

**

            "I believe it's hopeless to tell her now…" Aiko whispered to Akiko on a Friday evening. They were in a small, coffee odor café waiting for Raye to come back from her visit to the DVD store nearby.

            "Well…" Akiko began uncertainly. She stared into her black coffee nervously. She didn't want to answer, or more precisely, didn't know what to answer.

            Then, to her luck, there was a sudden uprising around them. Many people around them started leaving their tables and running down the street, shouting, cursing and making inappropriate, excited noise.

            "What the hell…" Akiko grabbed a wrist of a nearby man and steered him to face her.

            "Tell me, what's happening!" she demanded. The man looked frustrated at her and groaned impatiently.

            He replied, "There's a fight between down the streets. Some girls from the two clans!" He shook Akiko's hands off and ran down the street like the rest.

            "Oh shit!" Aiko swore loudly and scrambled off of her chair, "Its Raye!"

            "But Raye couldn't pick any fights…" Akiko said thoughtfully.

            "Its no time to think," Aiko spat, "C'mon!" She seized Akiko's hands and ran the direction where everyone was going.

            **

            "You're insane…" Raye muttered as she leaned against the wall to catch her breath.

            "You dare come and humiliate me when you were not even invited!" Jin shrieked and charged at Raye for the 10th time with the katana. Raye dodged as it crashed into the wall and scrambled to the opposite wall of the mad Chinese girl. She turned to her, breathing madly.

            "Look," Raye managed to whisper through her short breaths, "I don't want to fight you…and besides, we're not allowed to…"

            It was no use compromising with Jin now. With her katana ready at hand again, she stormed at Raye, who was defenseless and trapped against the wall. Raye dropped to the ground and evaded more vicious strikes from the katana. Each time the attacks missed, the more Jin seemed to be anger and attacked with more ferocity and speed.

Raye was extremely exhausted, trying to ignore the ear pounding screams of the onlookers; she slowly stood up and faced Jin, with her face red and radiating with anger. But she was too tired to evade the attacks quickly enough. When Jin attacked her again, she jumped to her left to escape it but the blade met with her arm and made a large slash across it. She cried out painfully and grasped her arm. She looked up and gasped. Jin was coming at her again with her Katana raised above her head. It was then Raye knew that Jin was serious when she said that she was going to kill her.

"Don't touch her!!" a voice shrieked from the corner of her ears. Raye turned her head and saw Aiko running towards them. In less then an instant she came between Raye and the charging blade.  Jin didn't attempt to stop. The sword flew at Aiko's eyes and the tip of the blade gashed open both the eyes. She shrieked of terrible agony and desperately covered her eyes with her hands, unsuccessfully trying to stop the blood from spurting out. She suddenly dropped the ground and stared cried out anguishing pain.

Silence fell onto the crowd. But there was sound of running feet from up the street, everyone, apparently except Aiko, looked up and saw a boy running towards them. Raye and Jin noticed him to be Wufei.

He halted just before them and stared wide-eyed at his cousin Jin, Raye crouching down by Aiko, and of course, Aiko with her blood streaked face. He had his own katana in his hands.

"Jin," he snarled, "Leave." Jin grasped her bloodstained katana and nodded obediently. She ran up the street and away from them. Wufei turned to Raye, who was glaring with suffering hatred at him. 

More people arrived from Raye's family who took in the first thing they saw: A crying Aiko, a mad Raye and the enemy, Wufei, with his katana, standing in front of them. Unluckily, Mitsuko, Aiko's older sister was the first one to arrive. She quickly conceived that Wufei had attacked her sister and, she became utterly angry. She called for a sword from her maid behind her. The maid brought her a large, silver gleaming katana that had just been sharpened. 

Raye, slowly figuring out what she was going to do, suddenly ran up to Mitsuko to stop her, but she was too late.

"You son of a bitch!" Mitsuko shrieked and charged at Wufei. There was a sudden clash of metal blades as Wufei brought up his katana to fend Mitsuko's attack. With a great amount of strength, he pushed her back and made a sudden run. Of course, she followed.

"Mitsu no!" Raye pleaded. But it was no use; the two disappeared behind the alley of the building.  Raye turned to Mitsuko's maid, who looked dimly stunned and held another katana in her hands. As if reading Raye's mind, she presented the sword to her with an amused grin on her face.

Raye, having no time to ask any question, snatched it out of her hands and ran after Wufei and Mitsu.

            "Oh dear…" Akiko whispered.

            **

            _A/N: If I continued, it would have 10 more pages on Microsoft word because this chapter was a little over 9 pages. ^^ I got a bit carried away._


	4. The First Conclusion

"You weak onna," Wufei snarled at Mitsuko, "We have no reason to fight, I have no time."

"Say that again Chang and you'll wish you had never touched my sister." She darted towards him with her sword aimed at his chest. Wufei, using the skills he had been taught since he was a toddler, thwarted the attack by blocking it with his katana and reared her to the side.

She fell to the floor and quickly jumped to her feet and, without a moment's hesitation, charged at him again. Yet again he fended off the attack.

"Onna, stop this!" he shouted, "You're going to lose, I didn't hurt your sister!"

"Hm, you need to be disciplined," Mitsuko said darkly, "You don't go hurting anyone and get away with it, also lying about it too."  

"You're crazy! Besides, you can't beat me!"

"Well you're in for a rude awakening," she whispered with a deadly snarl. Gathering all her strength, she charged at him again, with her body crouched low and the katana held firmly by her side.

With a loud crash and clang of metal, something or someone, had stopped her from going forward. Mitsuko gasped and growled.

"Raye, what the hell are you doing?" she screamed. Raye blocked Mitsuko's katana with her own and was struggling to force her back.

"Mitsu we don't need to fight!" she grunted.

"Get out of the way Raye," Mitsuko hissed. The two blades scraped each other causing a teeth-grinding sound to escape.

"He didn't hurt Aiko, it wasn't him!" Raye cried, "It was Jin!"

"Raye just let me handle her." Wufei ordered from behind them.

"No Wufei, no more fighting!"

"Raye…."

"Wufei, I said no!"

"You speak to each other as if you were good companions." Mitsuko said looking back from Wufei and Raye. Raye tensed and averted her eyes to the ground, trying not to look guilty.

"I see. Having a little affair are we? I thought you were a bit strange during the past few months." Mitsuko continued with a sly, slightly in wondering awe voice. A devious grin appeared on her face. "Some one has been very, very naughty…" Her eyes shot to Raye, who was looking around uneasily.

"You know Raye, you are a spoiled little girl…"

"Yes I might be," Raye, answered boldly, "But I don't know what you're getting at about me and—"

"Don't lie to me!" Mitsuko interrupted, "I know you well enough that you're lying!"

"Don't yell at me!" Raye half-shouted, "Even if you're right you can't punish him for what Jin did! He wasn't even here!" Mitsuko didn't answer but glared at Raye with deadly venom. Finally, after a tensed, silent pause, she lowered her katana.

"I'll get you later boy," she threatened, shooting a detestable glare at Wufei, "Don't you worry, and I'll get that wimpy cousin of yours too." She turned on her heels and walked back to the opening. 

Making sure that Mitsuko was fully out of earshot, she turned to Wufei, who had a scowl on his face.

"I can't believe I let an onna threaten me like that," he snarled particularly to no one. 

Raye glared at him. "This is no time to worry about that," she snapped at him, "It could've been worse, you don't know Mitsu, she can fight like hell!"

"I could beat her," Wufei said flatly, "Easily too. She might be good, but not good enough to beat me. Onnas like her are weak. You shouldn't have stopped our fight."

"Would you stop it with the Weak onna thing?" Raye pleaded angrily, "If you did beat her, as in killing her, its not going to help the situation we've gotten ourselves into. And I couldn't risk both of you in this fight!"

            He didn't answer but just kept a blank stare into the air. Then there was a loud roaring of sirens nearby, suggesting that the police and paramedic had arrived. A loud blur of yelling and tires of cars screeching to stop was heard along with the sirens getting louder and becoming multiple. A couple of fully dressed police officer appeared from the opening, looking slightly surprised and angered. The first one, the one that had a big mustache under his nose and stood nearly 6 feet tall, put his hands on his hips when seeing the large gleaming katana they both carried. He sighed.

            "Great…" he muttered.

            "Wish we can throw them all into jail…" the second whispered to first one.

            *~*

"Both of her eyes were ripped open," Master Hino, Raye's father told Raye the next day in the privacy of his dark room with Naoko, Raye's mother, Akiko and Sayaka by the side.

            "She will be blind, there's no way to repair the eyes."

            "Poor dear…" Naoko whispered. Raye's mother, who was the older version of Raye, except that her hair was dark brown and not black with wine highlights.

            "Can I go see her?" Raye piped up in a small, scared squeaky voice. She knew perfectly the answer would be 'no', but it never hurt ask her.

            "NO!" Master Hino boomed out, his hair, which Raye had inherited, went suddenly a mess. "YOUNG LADY DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!"

            Raye shrank down under her father's glare.

            "ANSWER ME RAYE!"

            "Yes I do!" Raye shouted angrily in answer. Of course, she knew immediately that she shouldn't have screamed.

            "Don't use that tone on me Raye!" he snarled, "You have deliberately disobeyed the family's main Order! You have brought dishonor to our family by knowingly associating with him!"

            "So what're going to do?" she asked stubbornly. Akiko bit her tongue painfully. _Raye, child, don't be so stubborn nor brave now…_

            "What did you say to me?" he asked in a low, furious whisper, "Raye, you are the heiress to all of this wealth. Are going to give it all up become you felt some petty feelings for our enemy?"

            "He's human, like us, it makes no difference about his name and the clan he is born in!" Raye shouted out loudly and took a step back, "Father, this is ridiculous!" 

Master Hino suddenly grasped Raye's left wrist, which still had a scar, and pulled him towards her. Naoko and Akiko both jumped to their feet.

            "I'll tell you what's ridiculous," he growled, "This is ridiculous!" He thrust her back violently with a great amount of force. Raye fell onto floor; her long hair flew freely by her side. She turned back to her father and faced him ton her knees. 

            "You don't know what I'm talking about do you?" she asked in the same, angry whisper her father had used, "You're ignorant and pride is blinding you– Aaah!" Master Hino had suddenly slapped her, but the slap was so strong and full of anger that it sent Raye back a few feet. Naoko shrieked and rushed to her husband.

            "Shinji, no…" she begged. Akiko went to Raye and helped her sit up. She cleared her hair from her face and silently gasped at Raye's left check that was red and swollen. Raye started crying, misty, white tears slowly flowed out of her eyes and onto her cheeks, making wet streaks as it flowed down.

Angry, Akiko whipped around to face her employer and glared at him callously.

            "Sir," she began in trembling voice, "You can't teach her by hurting her…you know that perfectly well."

            "This isn't your business Akiko," he spat, "Get out of the way and maybe I'll forget about how bad you do your job."

            "No." Akiko answered without budging, "I helped her sir. In all of this." Raye sobbed louder and tugged at Akiko's dress.

            "No Akiko…" she whispered.

            "You did?" he grumbled, shaking his head, "Then you're fired. Now leave."

            "No!" Akiko answered boldly, "I will not leave Raye to be punished by her father. She has it more then enough from Sayaka and it never helped did it?" Sayaka grunted disapprovingly from afar.

            "Leave before I have you arrested!" Master Hino bellowed.

            "If you promise you won't lay a finger on Raye." She said defiantly. He sighed. Almost rolled his eyes, and nodded. 

            "Get her out of my sight and start packing. We leave in 3 days."

            **

            "Leave where Akiko?" Raye asked desperately when Akiko had half-carried her back to her room.

            "I'm sorry Miss that I did not tell you this sooner," Akiko said softly while opening Raye's walk-in closet.

            "Apologize later," Raye yelled shaking her head rapidly, "Where are we going? Answer me!"

            "Your grandpa, your mother's father, had convinced your father to move the whole clan to earth."

            "What…?" Raye breathed putting her hands to her mouth, "W-Why…?"

            "I hadn't the heart Raye to tell you," Akiko explained sadly, "I just couldn't…"

            "You knew and you didn't tell me?" Raye was muttering under breath, "And Aiko too?"

            "Yes." 

            With her anger exceeding her boiling point, she steamed. Raye got up to her feet and ran outside to the balcony. Akiko rushed after her. 

            "Raye…"

            "I hate you!" Raye cried with tears streaming down her face, "Damn you, why didn't you tell me?!" Akiko approached her and attempted to touch her shoulder but Raye slapped her hand away.

            "Don't touch me!" Raye ordered between her sobs. Her face was red, and blemished with tears.

            "I'll take you to see Aiko tomorrow," Akiko said softly, "Come in when you feel like it." And she went back inside. 

            Raye stayed outside for at least 2 more hours. Akiko had shut off the light in the room and it soon became pitch dark. The moon was half full, though you could still see the other half that had a dim light. The air became suddenly cold and cooled her hot face. The icy wind invited her hair and loose clothing to a dance in the air, blowing it her right. 

            How her heart was hurting, churning in pain. With eyes still fresh with tears she refused to let fall, she stared out into the dark night, into the endless darkness and into the vague horizon. Suddenly she broke into tears and rested her head on the stone balcony rail and continued sobbing throughout the night, until finally she fell asleep and Akiko came out and brought her back in.

            *~*

            "Don't approach her too hastily," the Doctor warned Raye the next day at the hospital, "She tends to scream and throw things at you with terribly good accuracy."

            Raye grinned and nodded. "Sounds like her."

            "Go ahead." The doctor said and opened the door. Raye stepped in and pulled the door close. When the door snapped shout with a faint _click, _Aiko, who was sitting, more likely, slouching in her bed, sat up suddenly and stayed alert. Her eyes were under layers of white bandage.

            "Who's there?" she whispered.

            "Its me." Raye answered and sat on a chair by the bed.

            Aiko's face broke into an excited grin. "Raye?" she breathed, "Oh Raye, I was waiting for you!"

            Raye chuckled. "I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier."

            "That's okay, I knew you were being beaten by your father." She answered good-naturedly, "Its that predictable."

            "Oh…"

            "About Wufei…"

            "What about him?"

            "Have you seen him lately?"

            Raye scoffed and laughed a dry laugh. "Ya think? No, I couldn't sneak out…I mean, if you were—"

            "Raye," Aiko interrupted with an amused attack, "Remember, I'm blind." 

            "Yeah I know," Raye muttered. She sighed messaged her forehead, "I know. Maybe I should just forget about him—OW!" Aiko had suddenly chucked a small pillow at Raye's face with great force and accuracy.

            "I thought you were supposed to be blind!" Raye half-shouted rubbing her nose and throwing the pillow Aiko had hit her with on the ground.

            "I am," Aiko, replied, "You breathe so loud that I could pin-point you easily. I have other senses too, not just the eyes."

            "I do not breathe loud!" Raye retorted, "Why'd you hit me though?"

            "You are _not to _forget about him!" she snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

            "I'm not…?" Raye answered, slightly deterred, "But I can't—OW!" Aiko had threw yet another pillow at her.

            "Stop hitting me! You know what? I'm really beginning to doubt that you are blind!"

            "Raye," Aiko continued, ignoring Raye's comment, she turned her head to where supposedly Raye was to be and frowned, though you couldn't really see it, "I did not give up my eye sight so that you can forget about him Raye!"

            "You did it for me, so I can be with him?" Raye asked.

            "Well, not entirely for him either but for you. I can tell you this much, its absolutely sucks being blind." Aiko answered promptly, "Everyone feels so sorry because my eyes were ripped out, but I sort of like it."

            "Oh…" Raye put on a slanted frown.

            "See," Aiko pointed out, "Even you do, and I can hear it in your voice." Raye didn't answer. She looked down guiltily into her hands.

            "Raye?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Wufei was here." Aiko said quickly. Raye stared at her for a while, letting the sentence slowly sink in. And when it did, her eyes widened.

            "What?!" 

            "Don't scream." Aiko said pouting, "Now, he thought you were here, but when I said you weren't, he told me to tell you something." Raye grasped Aiko's shoulder and shook it back and forth rough.

            "Aiko tell me what he said," Raye demanded, "Please." Aiko giggled playfully.

            "Stop shaking me then." Raye stopped and slumped back into her chair.

            "He says to meet him in the park, he says that you know which, at midnight tomorrow night. He has something to tell you, something important."

            "And I, him." Raye groaned, "About our moving."

            "You know now?" Aiko asked.

            "Yes."

            "Hm, Raye, I get to come home this evening, I'll help to go to him, risk being caught and beaten Raye, this will be the last time you'll see him."

            Raye nodded, forgetting that Aiko couldn't see.

            "Raye?" Aiko called out, "Are still there?"

            "Yes. And I will go." 

Aiko grinned at Raye's answer and lay back on her bed. "Good girl."

            *~*

            The next night, Raye defied her orders for the last time and sneaked out into the park. Aiko waited in Raye's room, knowing that sooner or later Sayaka and Naoko was going to find out. But that didn't matter. 

            It was 2 hours later when she heard Raye being dragged into the room by Sayaka. She was crying and sobbing loudly. 

            "Stay in here girl," came the harsh voice of Sayaka. And then Aiko heard footsteps leaving the room. Raye was still crying.

            "Raye," she whispered, "Are you alright?" 

            "Yes," Raye answered, her voice full of tears.

            "What happened?" Aiko asked desperately feeling around for Raye. Raye came up to Aiko and touched her hands so Aiko would now where she was.

            "I met him," Raye answered, her sobs had abated a bit, "He gave me a chain, a beautiful ruby…Sayaka broke it…"

            "Sounds like her." Aiko said disgustingly, "How'd he take your news?"

            "He told me to be strong," Raye answered resting her head on Aiko's laps. Aiko slowly ran her hands through Raye hands, gently soothing her like a mother would do.

            "What else sweetie?" Aiko asked in a gentle voice.

            "He's getting married."

            Aiko gasped. "What?" she asked softly, "He's only 13."

            "Unfortunately, he's betrothed." Raye informed in a slightly laughing tone, "Part of the Long Clan's requirements."

            "Oh, I don't know what to say…"

            "Don't say anything," Raye whispered.

            "I think you should forget about him." Aiko whispered into Raye's ears after she found it by feeling for it, "Just forget him, I know that I said not to, but just forget him in your mind and not in your heart." Raye raised her head and stared into Aiko's black eyes. Black, meaning black pupils and everything else that is naturally supposed to be white just black. It looked inhuman, lifeless, making Raye's hairs bristle and shiver.

            She stood up, staring at Aiko with a dazed, light glare. 

            "Okay," she said suddenly to Aiko's surprise. "I'll just forget about him." She immediately stopped crying and she looked as if all her feelings were chased out of her. "Good Night Aiko, we're leaving tomorrow." 

            Aiko raised her eyebrows. _How odd, she didn't get mad at me, she accepted so willingly…_

"Are you alright Raye?"

            Raye nodded and smiled oddly, though Aiko did not know she did both.

            "Raye?"

            "I'm fine Aiko," Raye reassured promptly. Her tone itself was a bit odd and unlike hers. "Good night."

 *~*

            Raye was unnaturally quiet the next day when they left the colony. She didn't even protest when Sayaka made her read a Japanese textbook during the flight, and surprisingly, she read all of it. 

            When they arrived in Japan, her grandfather from her mother's side argued to keep her away from her father. Raye was happy he did that because she didn't ever want to see her father, or her other relatives except Aiko. Her mother protested but gave up in the end and gave her only child over to her father. Grandpa wanted to stay in Japan and the rest wanted to go to the Sanq Kingdom, which was thousands of miles away. He tried to keep Aiko with him, but her parents refused curtly saying that he will just ruin her ignoring the fact she was blind and couldn't do half the things she could've done when she still had eyesight.

            And so they parted, Raye stayed in Tokyo, Japan with her Grandpa, the rest of her family traveled to the Sanq Kingdom. Not a strand of her missed them, not even a little bit, except Aiko, whom actually made her happy once in a while. So she said a bitter good-bye to her life on the colony, and her last sad memories and went on living her life. Slowly, the boy Wufei Chang was kicked out of her mind as she grew into a different person. When she became a Sailor Soldier, Raye had no time to even remember her parents, or even Aiko. But, no memories are hidden forever…they don't like to be…

                        **_~* 5 years later*~_**

****

            "Grandpa!!" Raye shouted forcing her Grandpa onto bed, "Stay still, I'll get it!"

            "Don't touch it!" Grandpa bellowed protecting his left leg that was punctured by 20 or more porcupine needles. Raye rolled her eyes and sighed impatiently.

            "Grandpa," she began slowly, "You don't want them stuck in there forever do you?" He shook his head.

            "I don't want you touching it either." He added.

            "Why?" Raye demanded.

            "Remember the last time when I got a slivers stuck in my fingers?" he asked. Raye nodded and sighed again with annoyance.

            "But," Raye countered, "I was only 13, how was I to know which way the sliver were stuck in?!"

            "The point is you almost gave me an operation by pushing all the slivers, which was from a poison oak by the way, into my hands!" he shrieked.

            "Grandpa," Raye continued calmly reaching for his leg but he pushed her away, "Plucking out porcupine needles is easy!" He blinked at her in an untrusting way.

            "I'll pluck it out myself." Grandpa said stubbornly and snatched the large tweezers out of Raye hands.

            "Fine," Raye retorted and threw her hands up, "I'll go, I have the finals the study for anyways!" She stood up and stomped out of the room. Grandpa scowled.

            "I don't need you anyways!" he grunted and looked at his leg nervously. He took in a big breath, and with shaking hands he approached needles.

            Raye went outside to the mailbox to retrieve the mail (what else?). She looked through them while going back inside, muttering a comment as she separated ads from bills.

"Bills, ads, bills again, tire ads, electricity bill, bills, ads, ads, bills, bills," she stopped at thin package that was addressed in her name. She flipped it over, expecting to see a return address, but there was none. Hoping this wasn't blackmail or anything, she ripped it open. There was but a single, light paper inside. She took it out and unfolded it slowly, smoothing it out. The hand-writing was very familiar. _No, this couldn't be…_

She went ahead and read the first words:

                        "_Dear Raye, my dearest daughter,"_

_It is, _she though bitterly, _he has enough guts to call me his dearest daughter. _She scoffed. She was about to continue to read but was suddenly interrupted by a loud scream from Grandpa's room.

            "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! RAYE!!!"

            "Coming!" Raye called. She carefully placed the paper on the kitchen table and rushed to Grandpa's room, grabbing a wet, warm, towel she had readied on the way.


	5. The Arrival at Sanq Kingdom

_A/N: Here is the 5th chapter peoples! Thanks very much, and a million times more for reviewing 'kay? Enjoy! ~.- _

_*~*_

"I told you I can do it," Raye said smugly and wiped the bit of blood on her hand on the wet towel that was stained with spots of blood. Grandpa's quivered an eyebrow and leered dangerously at Raye.

"Get the antibiotic ointment in the medicine cupboard," he said, his voice was rasped from his constant yelling in pain. Raye nodded lazily and strolled out and into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard on the top right of the sink and sighed hopelessly at the amount of medicine bottle were present.

"Grandpa," she called soberly, "What does it look like?"

"A black bottle with a gray top and no words on it!" Grandpa answered in a croaky voice, "Hurry up!"

Raye sighed tiredly and started searching for a black bottle with a gray top. 

After 5 strenuous minutes of picking up bottles and throwing it back down impatiently, she came upon a black plastic bottle with a gray top. Letting out a relieved breath, she happily picked it up and rushed back to the room.

"Got it." She said opening the bottle as she sat down by Grandpa's leg. She took some of the white cream, (Smelling suspiciously like strawberry) in the bottle and spread it over the wounds. She grabbed a piece of cloth nearby and wrapped it tightly around the leg.

"There, done!" She closed the bottle and suddenly flopped down onto the floor with a heavy sigh.

Grandpa sighed also, scratching his baldhead at the same time. "Raye?"

"Yeah?" Raye groaned with her hands over her face.

"Did you get the mail?" Raye suddenly sat up and nodded, suddenly remembering the letter.

"Did you find the ad for that new Day Spa?" He asked worryingly. Raye blinked at him let out an aggravated sigh.

"I don't know," she mumbled in answer, "But I did get a letter from Father."

"You got a letter from your father?" he asked in surprise, "Where is it?"

"In the kitchen on the table," she answered listlessly.

"Well, what are you waiting for?!?" Grandpa shouted as if Raye was denying a million dollar prize,  "Go and get it!"

"Alright!" Raye answered sharply, "I'll get it." So then again, she stood up and went outside to the kitchen, picked up the letter, lazily walked back to the room and slumped back down on the floor. You could really tell she wasn't very excited about receiving a letter from her own father.

"Read it out aloud." Grandpa ordered. Raye looked at the letter slowly and placed a slanted, jaded frown on her face.

"_Dear Raye, my dearest daughter," _she began in a dull voice-

"_I hope that you are doing well my child. I am well myself, and so is the rest of us. Everything here is fine, I hope the same goes in Japan—"_

"You know," Raye said interrupting herself, "He acts if he cared but he doesn't. Such a liar!" Then she looked at the paper again and continued.

_"— For your 17th birthday, I wish to invite you, your grandpa, and maybe some of your friends here to the Sanq Kingdom. Don't worry I'll pay, just mail me back if you're going and how many of your friends are coming along—"_

"I can't believe he's trying to buy back my tolerance of him," Raye noted angrily, "And with the money I'm supposed to inherit!"

"_I do hope you will come because I miss you very much—"_

"He's such a liar," she growled at the letter, "I mean—"

"Raye would you stop commenting after every sentence and read the whole damn letter!!" Grandpa erupted out suddenly.

Raye gave grandpa a glare and looked back at the letter and mumbled, "Right." 

"I will need your answer back by next week Tuesday, and if you don't want to come because of me, think of your cousins you have not seen in 5 years. Mitsuko and Aiko truly miss you. They themselves are doing great.

_                        Love, _

_                                    Your father"_

Raye let out an angry, piercing scream at the closing sentence. 

"I can't believe it!" she shrieked, "He doesn't love me and dare lie to me! God, I hate him more then before!!"

"Raye, Raye," Grandpa said gently, trying to calm her down, "He's your father."

"He's my father!" she repeated in obscure shriek, "I hate him! After all these years he ignored me! He—"

"You mean after all those years **_you _**ignored him," Grandpa interrupted.

            "He ignored me first," Raye countered and crossed her arms like a small angry, spoiled child that couldn't get what she wanted.

.

"Are you going?" Grandpa asked. Her face softened into an unsure frown.

"Should I?" she asked, "I really don't want to."

"You should," he replied, "I'll go too."

"Okay then I'll go," Raye said briskly, oddly enough. For a while she stared at something or more specifically nothing, as if dozing off into a different world but she snapped back to her mind not long after. "Anyways, I've got chores." Using this as an excuse, she jogged out the room.

Grandpa stared after her and shook his head.

"Teenagers, a strange age."

*~*

The next day, Raye called her 4 of her friends to the temple for an _important _meeting and told them quickly about the letter and her father's offering. Serena, Mina, Lita and Amy were surprised to hear Raye actually talk about her family besides Grandpa.

"So you're going?" Lita asked. Raye nodded.

"Yeah," she said with a bored sigh, "He said he'll pay for my air ticket and that I can invite a couple friends over."

"I can go," Lita said instantly and shrugged, "I'm free, besides, I need to get out Tokyo."

"Well, there is no evil currently trying to threaten earth," Mina said slowly, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, "And I don't want to go to summer school, and I'm out of job also so, I suppose I could come."

"Well that's two," Raye mumbled scribbling Mina and Lita's names on a piece of paper.

"I suppose I could go too," said Amy, "I'm sure they have books there I can study for our finals." The rest sweat dropped at Amy's relentless effort to study.

"Serena, you've been quiet," Raye, said, "What about you?"

"I have to ask my mom," Serena replied quietly, "I'm not as free as you guys."

"Have you been grounded again Serena?" Mina asked suspiciously. Serena started faltering and rubbing her neck nervously.

"W-Well sssort of," she stammered grinning sheepishly and anxiously, "But never hurts to ask eh?"

Raye narrowed and squinted her eyebrows deadly at the blond. She bit her lips and wrote down Serena and Amy's name on the paper.

"Okay," she said with finality, "So that's decided."

"Raye, how long have you been away from your parents?" Amy questioned. 

"Why?"  Raye asked almost shrilly.

"I was just curious." Amy answered, looking a bit intimidated.

"5 years." Raye said briskly, she lowered and eyebrows into a soft scowl, "Since I was 12."

"That long?" Serena said in horror, "Wow, that's pretty long." Raye rolled her eyes at her.

"I personally thought they were dead," Mina conveyed with a slanted frown, "Guess I was wrong."

"Half wrong," Raye corrected, "Mother is dead now." 

"Oh, I…" Mina trailed off and looked to the floor.

"Don't feel sorry for me." Raye groaned, "Just don't, I lived without her before she died. I can handle it."

"I understand how it feels," Lita said gently and her green eyes soften sympathetically, "I got over it too." Raye shrugged rashly.

"I never missed them." She told them curtly. Her four companions stared wide-eyed at her as if she said something really foul and to each other with raised eyebrows.

"What kind of relationship did you have with your parents?" Amy asked incredulously.

"Not a very close one, you could say it was almost formal, or very formal. Never talked to them much." Raye answered nonchalantly, not noticing the strange looks she was getting. A tensed silent interrupted their conversation. No further words were exchanged.

But Serena, being as herself suddenly smiled dreamily and whispered out of the blue, "I wish Darien was here."

The others gave her an odd, penetrating stare.

Raye stood up and excused herself outside. Staring out into the vague, but familiar scenery of the quiet Tokyo, scenery, she wrapped her arms around her and let out a tired sigh. 

That night when Raye went to bed, she felt something strange. Her heart suddenly felt heavy and her mind was starting to enclose in blankets and flashes of forgotten memories. As she wondered aimlessly around her mind, with the letter stuck in her head more and more came rushing in. Hearing the names she had never heard in 5 years, these familiar yet strange and new names. 

She started hearing voices, strange, but familiar voices mingled with each other. 

_God damn it! _She screamed in her mind, _I must have some sleep…_

A small drop of tears made it out from Raye's tightly closed eyes and flowed down her cheeks, sending a familiar, warm tickling sensation. She wiped off the tears and slowly opened her eyes. A veil of misty tears covered her dark violet eyes and blurred her vision. She blinked to shed the tears and wiped the fall tears off with the sleeves of her kimono. 

_Tears? My tears... I'm crying, why the hell am I crying?_

As seconds passed, Raye's eyelids became heavy and still drying from the tears and meditating on the same thought. Slowly and steadily, the eyes closed and she fell into deep sleep. 

*~*

_RIIIIIINNNG!!!_

The phone went off early next morning. Raye turned in her bed and stuffed her head under the pillow. The phone rang again and she dug her head deeper in the bed, cursing sleepily to destroy the phone. The phone relentlessly rang again, unmindful of Raye's threats. Enraged at the phone for disturbing her sleep, Raye sprang out of bed and snatched the phone of the hook.

            "What?" she snapped into the phone.

            "Someone got off the wrong side of the bed this morning," said a sarcastic voice from the other side. It sounded very suspiciously like Serena's. In fact, it was Serena, how very surprising isn't it? 

            "Serena?" Raye asked in shock. She glanced at her clock and sighed. "Its 7:30 in the morning!"

            "Yup, I'm early today!" Serena said with a happy giggle, having no hint of sleepiness whatsoever. "I just wanted to tell you that my mom would let me go only if I take Sammy so…"

            "Yes Serena," Raye answered, yawning, too tired to tease Serena about getting up early, "He can come." She yawned again, rubbed her eyes and carelessly dropped the phone back on the receiver. She stretched her arms along with a large sleepy sigh and dragged herself to the bathroom, mindlessly thinking about the chores she had to do.

            **

            In the evening, dressed in her Shinto priestess kimono, sat down by the table with a pen and a piece of lined paper. She started off writing the date, then "_Dear…" _She paused and stared at the word. _What should I write next, dad? Father? _Raye shook her head at herself and wrote down _"…Father,_

I've got your letter and I am pleased to hear that Aiko is doing well. I am very well myself. Everything is beautiful in Tokyo. And to answer your offer, yes, I will come. 4 of my friends are going to…" 

Raye stopped and erased '4' and replaced it with '5' remember that Sammy was coming along.

"…_to come. 4 female, the name of Serena Tsukino, Amy Mizuno, Lita Kino, Mina Aino, all my age. The last one is a 12 years old boy Sam Tsukino._

_Sincerely,_

_Raye" _

Raye dropped her pen abruptly onto the table and picked up the letter and reread it. It wasn't exactly the work of a professional writer, Raye herself being a poet and a songwriter, you would expect a more passionate and creative letter but she wasn't in the mood pouring out her talents to her father. Raye wrote the return address and her father's address, which she found out from Grandpa. She folded it into a small square and placed it in the envelope on the table. Silent, she stood up, stepped outside and walked to mail box. Raye opened it noisily and threw her letter in and closed it. Feeling like if boulders have been removed from her shoulders, she let out a large sigh of relief. 

"Glad that's done." 

**

Two days later on the nippy Thursday evening, Raye received another mail from her father, this time containing a thick lump of money for the plane tickets. The money and the thought of going didn't exactly thrill her. Shrugging, she went back in and opened up her computer to the Internet. There she bought 7 tickets to the Sanq Kingdom, setting the date to leave in 3 days. Sighing and saying to herself that everything was set, she nodded to her self. Then, grimly and lazily, she started packing for a 2-week trip and at the same time thinking, _this is going to be one hell of a nightmare, I just know it…_

*~*

"Hey Wu-man!" said the cheery Duo Maxwell as he bounced onto the couch and made a quick grab for the T.V remote, "Whazzzup man?"

"Maxwell," Wufei replied in a low growl, "How many times do I have to tell you moron?! The name is Wufei!"

"Right Wu-man, I'll remember that." Duo mumbled clicking the channel button as fast as his fingers can go.

            Thinking that he wasn't going to waste time knocking some sense in that nutcase with a ridiculous braid, he grabbed a dark blue jacket from the closet and went outside. The air was chilly with a soft breeze blowing across the grass. Wufei looked up longingly into the sky., as if hoping to see something familiar.

_L5 is gone. They are all gone. Don't be weak, accept this. There is no use mourning over their deaths. There is no use mourning over anyone._

*~*

            On the day they were due to leave, Raye and her friends decided to meet at the Air Port around 3 pm. Very simple instruction really but it took almost an hour and a half to find each other, and when they did, it took another half an hour to find their Air Plane counter and wait in line. After all the frustrated waiting, their baggages were scanned and the detector beeped loudly at Sammy's bag. The officials there opened and inspected his bag, finding a small hunting knife. Serena almost went into fit as she screamed at Sammy. He apologized to the officials there that he had forgot to take it out the last time he went hunting with his father. The workers bought it and told Sammy that they'll keep it until he comes back. Then it was off into the plane with Serena still scowling at Sammy.

            It was 3-hour trip, but they had to get off at London to catch a second plane. From there they took another 4-hour flight directly to the Sanq Kingdom, arriving as late as 10:30 PM.

            It wasn't crowded in the Air Port; maybe it was because the size was twice the size as the one in Tokyo and London. The ceilings were tall, with grayish metallic but engraved with gothic statues. The windows were also huge but narrow and tinted black. They entered into the waiting room; a large room with a dome shape glass ceiling which you could see directly to the sky. There wasn't much to see now in the dark, except maybe the black cloudless sky with shadows of the city light. 

            "Oh yeah Raye?" Mina said with a sheepish, half-sardonic grin, "Who's picking us up?"

            Raye smiled in an assuring, clever way at her friends and grandpa. "Don't worry," she said sensibly, "I know father sent someone."

            And right on cue, a lazy, drawling sort of voice said from behind them, "You aren't really hard to spot are you Raye?" They turned to voice and were greeted by a tall, young woman with clear but clearly cold black eyes, black hair that had a tint of purple. She had set a wily, but the same time a greeting grin on her long face.

            "Mitsuko," Raye addressed her, giving her a glare, "So he sent you to pick us up."

            "That's right Raye," Mitsuko replied with a half haughty grin, "Nor am I that eccentric nor happy to do so."

            "Well Mitsuko!" Grandpa exclaimed from the side, "You've grown into a…er…beautiful young woman!" Mitsuko looked down at grandpa and grinned.

            "You look well," she said quietly, "Not that you look any better before nor now old man." Before Grandpa could scold her on calling him 'old man', Mitsuko swiftly turned and with a wave of her hand, commanding them to follow, but not once offering help to hold the baggage for them.

            "I don't like her," Lita whispered furiously to her friends, "She looks stuck-up." Raye shrugged.

            "She's my cousin," she informed with a sigh, "2 years older."

            "She's stuck up." Mina confirmed nodding.

            "Probably." Amy agreed while at the same time struggling to pull her chest and carry her baggage the same time.

            *~*

"Earth," an over passionate voice trilled, "How beautiful! Don't you think?"

"Its blue, brown and white," a less excited voice replied, "Lets just get this over with okay?"

"Yes yes," the other voice replied, "Soon the beautiful blue planet with so much beauty will be mine and in my collection of things of rare and unique power and beauty. It won't be long now. Just wait, I'll show those moon people what happens when they try to take away my collection!"

"Stop it with the talk and get a move on!" the other voice growled impatiently.

"Okay Uraline," the eccentric voice replied hastily, then in a dramatic tone it continued, "Let Operation Earth commence!"

"Lady Akhile," said a small voice from somewhere in the dark domain, "The Imperial crystal isn't on our location Tokyo."

"WHAT?!" the shrill voice shrieked, "Well where is it?"

"We detected it at the Sanq Kingdom."

"Oh." Lady Akhile sounded disappointed, "Well, still attack Toko and—"

"Tokyo lady," the voice corrected.

"Right," Lady Akhile said sounding a tad bit skeptical, "Well, attack Tokyo and its Region and we'll send another troop to get the people of the 'white moon' as they called them at the Sink kingdom!"

"Sanq mistress." The voice corrected again, "The Sanq Kingdom."

"Right, it already sank…" Lady Akhile started laughing shrilly at her own joke while her underlings and Uraline stared at her oddly. When she noticed this, Akhile stopped and cleared her throat looking serious again.

"Get a second troop ready to secure the Sanq kingdom." She ordered solemnly.

"Yes mistress."

_A/N: Yes, someone evil is trying to take over the world for the millionth time. He he ^^_

_Nothing beats a story with a little bit of bad guys on it don't cha think?_


	6. Family Dinner

            _A/N: Sorry I was so long, I got grounded during the Christmas break. *Sighs* _

_                        This chapter isn't exactly great quality and is the shortest by far, but it jut starts off the problems in the next! The real action starts next chapter in **'The Chocolate Battle!'** *ahem* I'll shut up now. Enjoy! -.~_

A limousine pulled to a stop in front of a long, dimly lighted long, tan-ish, orange vacation house. Two silent raven perched themselves on the roof, keeping out of sight but keeping the sleepy group that was pulled out of the car by the chauffer in sight. Both of them had a weary journey, and their shining ebony wings ached and smarted. But the larger one, after a few moments, seemed to sigh, nod at the smaller once, and flew off again. 

            It flew and flew, over the half-asleep city until it spotted a stately mansion with a fair kept garden. Then, it started to dive, enjoying the sensation of the wind whipping through its feather. It dived, and dived and dived….

The raven skidded to a stop so that the beak was only inches away from crashing into the wall. Apparently, it had enjoyed the dive too much and dozed off.

            It ruffled its wings and flew around, peering into the windows, trying to find whomever it was going to find. Finally, it let out a soft caw when finding the right window. The raven put it's beak to the windowsill and softly tapped it three times. The window slowly creaked open and it was free to go in. Lowering its wing's flutter into a silent hum, it flew in and sat on the table, beneath the high, porcelain Victorian lamp, beside the bed, where someone laid asleep. The raven came to this person specifically for a reason, because her mistress needed and she was here. It had took her long enough to decide to come, but assumingly this was the perfect time because everything was now peaceful, sort of.

            The black bird nodded to itself, closed its eyes, and then in an instant, snapped them open. Now, it cooed softly, mostly in satisfaction of itself on getting the job done so easily. With the spread of the wings, it flew out, going back to the house.

*~*

"Now Uraline, the best attack method is to not send a monster by monster to suck out the energy but to have a surprise attack with quality _and _quantity." Lady Akhile said knowledgably, making her comrade go into more fits of anger.

"Besides," Akhile continued slowly and calmly, "We should enjoy the treats of the earth while we can." Uraline stopped growling and stared at her mistress suspiciously and strangely.

"Here." Akhile pulled out a white paper box from her back and opened it. She literally shoved it into Uraline's face with an eager grin placed on her pale face. Uraline winced at the little brown cubes that sat in perfect rows and columns.

"And this is?" she asked sourly.

Akhile cleared her throat, threw her silver hair back and smiled smugly. Then, melodramatically, she declared, "It's chocolate. And this country called Bel-g-eam is famous for it!" Uraline looked stupidly at the box of chocolate and raised a cynical eyebrow at her estranged mistress.

            "Don't you mean 'Belgium'?" Uraline asked. 

            "Uh…yeah…" Lady Akhile chuckled nervously, "Belgium. But try it, it is so heavenly!"

            Everything sweet was _so heavenly _to her mistress that this wasn't anything new to Uraline. Just her luck to be stuck with a strange, perky, sugar loving mistress of evil. But all the same, she was her master. Against her own, stubborn will Uraline took a small cube and bit into it. Ooh, was it tasty! It wasn't a sugary sweet, but creamy and irresistibly delicious! Uraline had never tasted anything like it and was so entranced by it. She didn't even take the second bite but threw the whole thing into her mouth and chewed on it happily and giggling. Now it was Akhile's turn to lift her eyebrows and think weird of her general. 

            "Um…" Uraline mumbled while Uraline proceeded now onto her 6th cube, "I should've never."

            "Plan an early attack on the sweet stores too!" Uraline announced with a mouthful of chocolate, "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

            Lady Akhile sweat dropped and stared at the chocolate.

            "They must've put something in the chocolate."

            *~*

            _Ugh, it was morning, time to wake up Raye!_

            Raye snapped her eyes open, blinked a couple of times for adjustment and yawned. She sat up slowly and went through a series of stretches while moaning drowsily. The room was so unfamiliar, the smell wasn't, but the room did. She didn't remember how she got in the bed, or where the hell was she. So for a couple a minutes, she sat and thought. It came to her after awhile, that she was probably carried in the house. Hold that thought…the house, not the shrine back in Japan, but here. _Oh, shit, my father…_

Raye felt now fully awake and stumbled off the bed and scrambled up clumsily to the door. How can she be so thick and dumb?! Pulling the door open, she ran out of the room just so she can crash into someone. _What wrong with you? Keep your cool! It's only your father!_

She looked up to apologize but didn't when she discover it was none other then the blond, Serena.

"Serena!" she growled, "What are you doing?"

"Walking," Serena answered innocently, "Not like you crashing into people."

"Oh shut up meatball head," Raye half-taunted and picked herself up from the ground. 

"Oh you're awake," said a sweet voice from left of them, "That's good, breakfast gets cold very quickly." 

"Oh we mustn't let that happen!" Serena exclaimed at the word of food, "I'm hungry!"

The speaker was teenaged girl, her height almost the same as Raye, but a tad bit shorter. She had pure black hair that fell messily down to her elbow with pale skin as if she had rarely been outside. It was her eyes that shocked the both of them. Plainly speaking they didn't seem…real…and had no pupils, or irises or anything normal, even black eyes, should show. Serena seemed freaked but Raye just smiled. Now why the hell would she forget that?

"You've definitely grown Aiko, I'm surprised." Raye commented teasingly.

"And you haven't grown a bit," Aiko replied roguishly, "You're brain I mean."

"And you have?" Raye challenged, half-smiling and playfully smirking.

"Who's your friend?" Aiko suddenly changed the subject, "She seems really hungry."

            Raye glanced over at Serena who was clutching her stomach that growled like hell. They hadn't had a proper dinner and those airplane foods wasn't exactly the best, maybe accept the peanuts and water.

            "Oh, yeah, this is Serena, a friend, and Serena, Aiko. My cousin." Raye introduced quickly, "Don't worry Serena, Aiko's blind and the eyes are not real."

            "I've noticed," Serena said dryly, "Now the breakfast?"

            "Oh yes, the smell of the brioche and croissants are calling to you aren't they?" Aiko said sweetly, " They're just down the hall, wash up first!" Serena nodded enthusiastically and rush off to the bathroom, wherever she thinks that might be while yelling, "Nice to meet you!"

            "You're unusually sweet," Raye remarked. Aiko shrugged.

            "I've grown remember? Like you said," Aiko pointed out, "Besides, now, I go for first impressions." Then she giggled excitedly and pulled Raye (catching her in the first place by pure luck) and hugged her tight. "RAYE! GOD, I missed you so!"

            Raye blushed a bit and smiled. "Yeah, I have to admit, I missed you too." Aiko loosened her hug and took a step back, while smiling broadly. 

            "Yeah, well, living with your father and my sister isn't exactly heaven," Aiko started slowly, "Even Jeremy was a bit of entertainment."

            "I can imagine," said Raye shaking his head, "What does my father have up his sleeve this time?"

            "I'm not supposed to tell you," Aiko mumbled and sigh.

            "So there is something?" Raye asked in surprise. Aiko looked mad at herself but nodded.

            "Yeah…. but I have to be truthful with ya though, just don't tell I told you 'kay?"

            "Just tell me!" 

            "Wish your anger wouldn't grow with you."

            "Yea well, I plan to keep my anger."

            "Okay," Aiko took a long sigh, "You father might get married to this one lady he is dating. They seemed to have a pretty good time here; she's not as pretty as your mother, like Jeremy and the rest of the staff says but she's okay, though I hate her choice perfumes. And, if you don't careful Raye, you might be engaged to someone since you are the heir, if you keep in your father's good favor!"

            "Engage me?" Raye breathed menacingly, "To whom?!"

            "To this guy named…. I forget his name…"

            "Aiko, you're not a very good liar!"

            "Yeah, my charm is wearing off isn't it? His names is Ichiro Anami, they're a rich family I heard," Aiko answered rapidly, "Now, don't go telling your father 'cause he'll ask who told you and he'll know its me and…and…just don't tell him!"

            Raye glared at Aiko for a while before sighing and rubbing her forehead. "I knew he was up to something…"

            "Yeah, your father always had a selfish reason when being nice," Aiko agreed, "Well now, those brioches, coffee and croissants are waiting!"

            *~*

            It was later in the afternoon the girls did some introduction and exploring. For dinner, Mr. Hino was coming home early from work (not that anyone was actually really excited.). Amy discovered a large private library, which has become her current favorite place to go. Mina preferred the indoor pool and spa, along with Lita who had taken to love the workout gym, kitchen and the pools. For Serena, this was a heavenly vacation. The food was super, the sun was kind, and the pool was fun. Raye seemed to be to the only who wouldn't relax. She kept on thinking about Ichiro Anami. She **_did not_** want to even meet him much less marry him. Okay, so, she had never met him before but her future husband, no way, not the one her father chooses. Thank god she was turning 17 and not 18 so he couldn't illegally marry her. 

            Tension was building up in her around the start of dinner. They sat around the table, tempted by the warm, delicious looking food in front of them, waiting for the door to open and the father to come home. Around 7, he came, causing Raye to let slip the glass she was holding and spill on the ground. It was cleaned up really quickly. 

            She asked the maid where her father sat and sat right across from; she didn't want to sit next to him but she still wanted to face him.

            Raye resembled him a little. He was very, menacing, tensed looking with the same wine-colored hair but pure black eyes, cold too. He sat down, smiled around at them and grunted, "Hello, you all must be Raye's friends." It was actually a stupid thing to say at least. But Mina smiled and warmly continued the conversation.

            "Yep," she said brightly, "Nice to meet you. I'm Mina Aino. _Great _house by the way."

            "Ah, I recognize your name," Mr. Hino stated, "Thank you." Just then, there was a clatter of fallen spoon and glass. Aiko had accidentally knocked down her spoon and spilled her glass of coke that was now slowly bleeding the red silk tablecloth dark red. Everyone turned their head to her while she stammered a 'Sorry.' Mitsuko slightly scoffed and shook her head. The maids rushed foreword to clean, while it seemed Mr. Hino was just about ready to yell.

            "AIKO YOU BLUNDERING LITTLE OAF!" he thundered at her, "CAN'T WE EAT PROPERLY?!"

            "Um, y-y-yes…s-sorry…"Aiko whimpered, though her eyes were wide in surprised, then in a second or so, she lowered her head and nodded, "I should've waited…"

            Amy, Lita, Mina and Serena stared incredulously at the father who had his hair now slightly a mess and face red and swollen with anger. But Raye had just enough of it. She stood up, pounding her fist on the table and holding a fiery fire in her eyes that equaled her father. 

            "She's blind, don't expect her to eat normally!" she screamed, "It isn't her fault that she's blind!"

            "YOU'RE RIGHT!" her father agreed, hoarsely yelling it, to everyone's surprise. Even Mitsuko furrowed her eyebrows confusingly at her uncle. He continued, "THAT'S VERY MATURE OF YOU TO ADMIT THAT IT WAS YOUR FAULT AND NOT HERS!"

            Raye's mouth was slightly ajar from unbelieving and a bit of scoff. "My fault, you just brought me here to blame me on everything didn't you?!"

            "Everything you've—"

            "STOP IT!" Aiko suddenly shouted, "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, EVERYONE!" Everyone now looked at her in amazement. She was holding her head was growling and half-sobbing. "NO MORE FIGHTING! IT WAS NO ONE'S FAULT!! OKAY?!" More quietly, though coarsely from yelling too much she continued, "Okay? Can't we just be happy to see each other after 5 YEARS OF SEPERATION?! Maybe, just pretend…? At least that would be an improvement…"

            "Well, that breaks this dinner up…" Raye said curtly, "I'm not hungry." She took a sip of water and left the dinner table and out the dining room. Everyone was frozen and silent, slightly shocked by the sudden outburst. The servants had predicted this but were shocked and silent all the same. Everyone in the household knew the situation, except the 4 very confused girls. 

            "Uh, I'm afraid I don't know what's going on." Amy said quietly, "Anyways, I'm not hungry either, I'm have…to study…" She pushed her plate foreword and quickly walked out of the room while mouthing at her friends to do the same.

            "Um...yeah, me too!" Mina exclaimed, following the same suit as Amy. 

            "Me three! I really need to uh…catch up!"

            "Me four!" 

            Both Serena and Lita pushed their plates and quickly, and almost sprinted out of the room. After awhile they were gone, Mitsuko left, shaking her head and grumbling something like '_damn it' _and _'idiots' _under her breath. 

            Aiko, who seemed to be glued to her seat, bit into her lips and slightly shrugged. "I guess, we can go to the mall tomorrow, I'll call Jeremy to accompany us…"

            "You do that," Mr. Hino said forebodingly, "But I don't want you to poison her mind with anything else, hear me?"

            "Yes sir."

*~*

            "Wage the battle of Chocolate!"


	7. The Chocolate Battle

_            A/N: Chapter 7! ^^ Enjoy!_

"Something you wanna tell us?" Lita asked, narrowing her brown eyes sideways at Raye. She sat down on her bed besides the other 3 whose eyes were glued upon Raye. 

            "Okay…" Raye answered quietly. She closed the door quietly behind her, "To make a long story short…"

            "I think we have long enough time for the long story," Amy remarked curtly. Raye rolled her eyes impatiently and crossed her arms defiantly.

            "Guys, I'm going to tell you what I can okay?" she said angrily, "So don't be a smart aleck on me!"

            They stared her oddly for quite a while, blinking few times and nodded their heads hesitantly.

            "Right," Raye continued, "What my father was talking about is what happened on the last week of my stay on L5 and—"

            "The colony L5?" Amy questioned in surprise, "You're from a colony?"

            "Yes, I'm from L5," Raye confirmed hastily, "And it was on that last week, Aiko went blind, and everything else went terribly wrong!"

            "Oh so that's why you don't get along with your parents?" Mina said slowly, "Everything that went wrong was, quoting your father, was your fault…"

            Raye opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out, she closed it and opened it, looking foolishly like a fish breathing in water. What Mina had said was the truth, basically, but how could she tell them the whole story without telling them the source of all this? And besides, she was a bit too proud to admit it was sort of her fault. _And,_ the source wasn't something she didn't want to think about again. It was all ancient history now.

            "Forget it okay?" she said collapsing onto her bed, "I don't need this right now, maybe tomorrow." Mina, Serena, Amy and Lita decided among each other that it was best to bug her tomorrow when her anger isn't an active volcano. They all filed out of her room quietly, closing the light and the door softly behind them.

            *~*

            Last night's dinner seem to slip out of everyone's mind overnight, because the next morning, everything was as if there wasn't anything wrong at all. Raye's father had gone early in the morning to work. Even Aiko suggested they go down to the mall, where they were having great sales and bargains. After getting ready to shop, Aiko would call over on the phone (which was, to everyone's delight, voice activated) an older cousin of theirs, Jeremy, who was now on his own and is in college. 

            Grandpa, wherever he was last night, suddenly appeared from the door, looking very pleased with himself. Unnoticing everyone staring at him, he strolled into the west wing, humming merrily along while throwing random comments like 'You look gorgeous today!' or 'My you've grown!' even if he had never met the people he said this to.

            "He's unusually happy," Mina said giggling, "I wonder where he was last night."

            "He probably went to the temple downtown," said Raye, "He used to work there for a while 5 years ago."

            "Yeah," Aiko groaned, "But that temple torn down a year ago for…. um…I dunno…something about politics, industries and stuff…"

            "So, where was he really then?" Serena asked, before the others can answer, there was a loud three-second horn from outside. Everyone (except Aiko) rushed outside to see who it was. 

            A metallic green minivan was parked outside with its engine still roaring. The window rolled down, revealing a young man in sunglasses. He had pure black hair that fell almost messily down to his ears. He smiled, took off his sunglasses and observed them roguishly, making Lita and Mina go googly eyed. 

            "Brought some hotties for me Raye?" he asked grinning broadly.

            "Shut up Idiot," Raye answered coldly, she walked up to the car and opened the door. "Why do you have a van?"

            After getting all of them inside the car, it was off to the mall.

            *~*

            Wufei was absently gazing at his shiny katana in front of him, as though there was something about it that he had never seen before. Sitting legs crossed on the floor of his room, he gazed, getting ready to meditate for the evening. 

            Now jumping out of his gaze, he decided now to meditate. As soon as he closed his eyes, the door swung open, causing him to jump. 

            "Hey, wu-man," Duo exclaimed, "Wanna go down to the mall?"

            With the anger rising in his face, Wufei stood up, with his katana in hand and faced Duo with anger. 

            "And why would I want to go to the mall where weak people uselessly spend their energy and money on useless clothes?" He asked indignantly.

            "Because you need new clothes!" Duo answered stupidly. 

            "Maxwell, leave me!" Wufei bellowed.

            "Aw c'mon man…" Duo groaned, "Please? Everyone else is busy!"

            "So am I." Wufei said curtly. He intended to shout out, 'GO AWAY' one more time, but something stopped him. It was as if someone taken away his ability to speak. Then there was a little voice in his mind, it didn't sound like his. It chorused in his mind, "Go…You must go…" 

            _How stupid, _he thought, scoffing, _go to the mall? Who's making me?_

"Just go you pompous, ignorant moron!" the voice screaming angrily. His eyes widened, the voice was talking to him. No…he was just hearing things…

            "Believe, you will thank me if you go…"

            _Why? _He asked.

            "Do you ask this many question?! Just go idiot, I'm trying to be cryptic here!" the voice answered angrily.

            Wufei curled his lips and rolled his eyes. _I don't appreciate being called idiot… who the hell are you?_

"The little voice in your mind that will be talking to you from time to time!"

            _Why should I go?_

"Believe, it'll be for a good cause"

            _Tell me._

"I told you, I'm trying to be cryptic here!"

            _Who are you? Tell me your name!_

"If you want a name, just call me Phobos."

            _Phobos?_

"That's all I can say now, but please, go."

            "Hey, Wu-man…" Duo said in a singsong voice, waving his hand in front of Wufei's face that held a blank expression. "You alright man?"

            Wufei snapped out of his conversation with that little foreign voice in his mind and for an awkward moment, stared hard at Duo.

            "Alright," he said finally but with much difficulty, forgetting to yell at Duo for calling him 'Wu-man' "I'll go…"

            "Why the sudden change of attitude?" Duo asked in surprised.

            "Hey, do you want me to come or not?" snapped Wufei, already walking out the door, "C'mon, lets get this over with."

            *~*

                        Serena, with difficulty, was trying to pry open a tin can full of chocolate. She sat and tried and tried and tried, making not an inch of a progress in her effort. Finally, giving up, she sighed and slammed the can on the table.

                        "Still can't get it opened?" Lita asked, smiling weakly at Serena, looking as if she ran a mile.

                        "You could go back to the store and make them open it for you," Amy suggested, "Its just around the corner isn't it?"

            "You guys go ahead," Aiko said calmly, "me and Jeremy will wait here with the bags until you come back." And that was a lot of bags. They've been shopping only but 2 hours or so and their hands were already full with bags and bags of clothes and such. 

            "Alright then." Raye agreed, she stood up, the others did also and started walking down the way to the Candy Shop Serena had bought the chocolate from. They turned at a corner and entered the store (Where it was fully packed) and fought their way to one of the workers, who seemed to have his hands full of customers, which most of them were kids. 

            "Excuse me sir," Serena shouted, "Excuse me." All the employees seemed to be too busy to hear as they scuttled here and there around the store. They waited, and while they did, took to observing (or more like tasting) the candy. They were surrounded by every kind of lollipops you can imagine; long sweet and sour rolls, caramels and chocolate delicacy. The smell of sugar was strong in the air and made anyone who smelled it giddy and hyper. 

            The girls seemed to have lost themselves in enjoyment and even took to flirting with some of the cute and older customers.

            In the midst of all the excitement, a black shadow slithered between them. In the corner, it went and transformed, most spontaneously into a monster. It roared and everyone froze and sharply turned their heads to it. Before they can scream in terror, more, hideously twisted black demon-like creatures appeared and roared. The strange thing was, they didn't make an effort to attack the humans, but it made for the chocolates. Now people screamed and rushed out of the store, almost stampeding on each other. The only people that stayed inside were, as you can guess, our heroines: Raye, Serena, Lita, Mina and Amy.

            "It's not attacking the people," Amy exclaimed, "It wants the sweets!"

            "What are they? Serena Monsters?" Raye shouted in question.

            "Hey, take that back!" Serena wailed. 

            "The entrance!" Lita gasped, pointing at the glass doors. The doors were now being ensnared by green, alien, and disgusting looking vines that locked onto each other, forming a wall. 

            "Oh no…" Serena cried, "How do we get out now?"

            "Guys we need to transform!" Mina declared, but before any of them can get started, a sudden shock blasted them from where they stood and threw them onto the ground so hard that it form dents on the floor.

            At the very same moment, chaos spread across the mall. Wufei and Duo was not very far off from the store. When they heard about it they (Or more like Duo), they decided to investigate. Both of them hustled to the front of the shop, where the police was trying to clear people and bust into store with a simple handgun. 

            "Whoa, what is that thing?" Duo asked, eyeing the vine wall in surprised. Both him and Wufei pushed themselves to the front where the police were still firing away. Every time the bullets hit the wall, the weird substances seemed squirm and squeal.

            "There's monsters inside!" someone in the crowds cried, "Monsters! Demons!"

            "Those measly guns aren't going to work," Wufei shouted hoarsely, "Don't waste the bullets!" 

            "RAYE!" a voice screamed over the crowd.

 Wufei froze. Someone had screamed 'Raye'. Could it be? No…

            "RAYE, LITA, SERENA, MINA, AMY WHERE ARE YOU?" Wufei turned sharply around to see who had said this. Raye…that name was so familiar…

            "Raye…" the voice seemed to falter but sounded closer, "Jeremy I think they're still inside!" 

            Wufei searched around the crowd to find the speaker. He saw a young girl, being tightly held by a man, was making their way to the front. Suddenly, he heard screaming inside from the store. His attention caught, he swerved around, facing the store once again. People _were_ still in there…

            "Wu-man…" Duo shouted, "We have to get in there…"

            _Maybe, _Wufei thought, _Raye…maybe…_

"Sir, my cousin and her friends are still in there!" Wufei turned to source of the voice. He saw the same two people, who were talking to the chief sheriff. She talked to the sheriff but at the same time seemed to stare past him. Then it him that she must've been blind. As far as he can remember, it could be since it fitted perfectly. _Just maybe I can…foolish of me, even if she is alive; she is nothing to me now._

Someone grasped his shoulder and turned to him. It was Duo, with his face-flushed with excitement and a bit of seriousness. 

            "Dude," he said, breathing very fast, "They're girls still in there…"

            "What're we going to do about it?" Wufei asked quickly.

            "Rescue them of course," Duo answered incredulously "They're damsels in distressed!" Wufei grunted. He turned his eyes to the store, then to the girl that was still talking to the sheriff. 

            "We can 't get in there." Wufei said to Duo, "We need more then guns."

            "I've got a dynamite!" Duo suggested, digging quickly into his pocket and fishing out bright red dynamite.

            "Why do you have a dynamite on you?" Wufei asked in surprised.

            "The guy on the street was selling them to me for 5 bucks, a rip off but…oh well." Duo answered, grinning sheepishly. Both he and Wufei broke into a run to the door, the policeman ran after them, telling them to stay back. 

            Duo stuck the dynamite snugly into wall. The vines squirmed and grasped it. Then he took out a match and fused the dynamite. The black fuse on the end burned quickly and Wufei and Duo both backed up, with the policeman doing the same thing when they saw the dynamite.

            **_BOOOOOM!!! _**The dynamite had exploded, sending clouds of rubbles and debris of the alien vine to be thrown out. There was a hole in the vine wall now, and Duo shouted in delight. But their celebration ended short when the vines seemed to start closing in. 

            "We have to make a run for it!" Wufei shouted, "Come on!" Both of them broke into a fast sprint and leaped into the whole before it fully closed up. 

            *~*

            "We just need a little break to transform!" Raye gasped as she dodged another attack.

            "But we're not getting that break!" said Lita, kicking one of the monster in the groin, "Its like they're preventing us!"

            "Guys help!" Serena wailed. A group of monsters had her trapped in the corner. "Guys!"

            "Damn, we're in deep shit!" Lita groaned, "I've had enough of this." Lita took a step back and pulled out her transformation pen and raised it above her head. "Jupiter crystal –" One of the demons sprang on her from the back and knocked the pen out of her hands.

            "Lita!" Amy cried, "Oh no…"

            It was then the front entrance exploded and two figures leapt in. The entrance immediately closed, relinquishing any hopes they had.

            The explosion had delayed the attacks of the monster demons. They had retreated. 

            "Now what?" Mina groaned, clutching her stomach.

            "Hey you guys okay?" said the one with a long braid at the back. The two figures came close enough for the girls to see the outlines of their body clearly. Raye and Lita groaned angrily.

            "What're you doing here?" Lita snapped.

            "Don't you want to be rescued?" the one with the braided hair asked incredulously. 

            "No—yes but not now!" Lita answered furiously. The one person with the braided hair looked at them oddly. His eyes were a playful cobalt blue with long chestnut brown hair. The other one, who had not spoke once at all, had black hair, pulled back into an ever so tight ponytail. His eyes were cold onyx compared to the other guy.

            "You don't to be saved now?" the braided haired boy asked, scratching his head in confusion. 

            "Uh…well…" Amy started, "It's not like that but…" Raye, for once, had said nothing during the past few minutes, which was very unlike her. Her interest was mostly in the second boy, the one with the black hair. He seemed so familiar yet strange. There was something about him that reminded her of someone.

            "The name's Duo," Duo introduced, "My friend here is Wufei."

            "There were supposedly monster in here." Said Wufei, speaking for the first time.

            "There was," Lita answered, "Until you guys came along."

            "So you're saying it's our fault now?" Duo asked flatly, crossing his arms.

            "You can say that." Lita answered sourly. Their bitter conversation was cut short when from out of the blue; the monster demons just sprang out of the air and roared.

            "Wonder where they've been!" Mina shouted clasping her ears with her hands, "Distract them!"

            Wufei and Duo jumped back in terror. Now they were unable to move. They've seen battles and wars; they've seen dead people, gored people but monsters?

            "Move idiots!" Raye hollered at them, "What're you doing standing there?!" They both jumped out of the way just close enough so that the monsters only singed their clothes. 

            Lita, Mina, and Amy saw this a perfect time to transform. While the demons were busy perusing the boys, they stole away to transform while saving Serena on the way. But Raye couldn't go.  His name was Wufei and it had to be him. A wave of memory swept through her mind and aroused a lot of forgotten memories. 

            "Duo, Wufei!" Raye called, "Over here!" Duo and Wufei did as she told and sprinted to her.

            *

            Wufei was breathing very fast. He hadn't a time to think since he saw those hideous monsters, he had forgotten the real reason he had came in here. One of the girls had call to them and forgetting his dignity, he and Duo and run like idiot cowards to her.

            "You guys okay?" she asked. Wufei looked up, half expecting, half hoping, that, from the bottom of his heart he had hoped for it to be her. Her voice reminded him of her. She had the long black hair with highlights of dark wine that shone in the weak light. Her eyes were the same beautiful and familiar. Yes, he remembered now, _eyes of deep purple velvet, _those 5 years ago. He stood up straight and locked his eyes with hers. The very moment and air was thrilling between them. Forgetting everything around them, everything seemed to go freeze and mute.

            Her own breathing was the only thing she can hear. It was short, slow and nervous.

            "WATCH OUT!" Duo screamed. A large blast of light shot between them, blowing them to the opposite side.

            "Stop right there!" somebody yelled. And sure enough, looking up, Sailor Moon and her 3 sailor Soldiers standing beside her appeared on the large mountains of rubble.

            "You sugar-loving fiends. You don't deserve all these sweets!" Sailor Moon continued dramatically, "You've been very naught children. And in the name of the moon! I shall punish you!" She strike her Sailor Moon trademarked pose. "I am eternal Sailor Moon!"

            "And in the name of Mercury, I will see it to that you will not go unpunished!" the blue haired soldier declared, "I am Sailor Mercury!"

            "I stand for love! And does planet Venus, and in its name you will be disciplined," the second golden soldier stepped up, "Sailor Venus! That's me!" 

            "And lastly, I, in the name of Jupiter, the leader of the gods, you'll be crushed for I am Sailor Jupiter!" the green dressed, brunette hair soldier cried.

            And together, they chorused, "We are the Pretty Sailor Soldiers!"

            "Nice intros…" Duo remarked, "Great skirts!"

            Raye sat up, groaning in pain. Wufei was already up and was resting on his haunches. He looked up at the Sailor Soldiers and grimaced coldly.

            "RAYE!" Mercury suddenly cried, "Watch out!" Raye looked up strangely at Mercury then in front of her, seeing the same beam of light was head towards.

            "Get out of the way!" Sailor Moon cried, "Raye hurry!" It seemed all was too late though. She couldn't get away in time, somehow she know that. Raye scrambled to her feet, her eyes still locked with the beam of energy.

            Wufei, his mind racing as fast his heart was pounding mindlessly broke into a run, faster then he had ever run before in his life. He jumped in front of Raye, grasped her body and threw himself and her away from the line of the beam. They rolled on the floor twice before stopping. The shot missed them and hit one of the monster demons instead. 

            Raye snapped her eyes opened, amazed at what had just happened. He had saved her. Wufei was on top of her, now opening his eyes and staring straight into hers.

            "Are you…" Raye whispered but was interrupted by the screaming of the monster demons. Wufei leapt off of her and she sat up quickly, seeing her companions already fighting the monsters. 

            Wufei turned his heads to the 'super girls', the Sailor Soldiers that had supposedly came to save them. Each of them had a color of their own and emitted powers of different elements. He turned his head back to Raye, but she wasn't there. Wufei stared wide-eyed at the spot. _Where the hell did she go?_

"Mars fire sniper!" a new voice screamed. Another of them had arrived. Dress in firing red, she threw a fire arrow at a demons monster and it burned to ashes completely.

            "Sailor Mars is here," she said, "Get ready to feel the burn of my powers!" The Sailor Soldiers prepared themselves for a line of attack.

            "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" 

            "Jupiter Oak revolution!"

            "Venus love and beauty shock!"

            "Mars fire..sniper!"

            Now it was time for eternal Sailor Moon to finish of the rest of the job. Taking out her Eternal Tial, she twisted, ballet and readied her powers.

            "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy…. KISS!" And thus, it was done. 

            Duo and Wufei, who still really and truly couldn't believe what was going on was speechless, dirty, hurt and hairs a mess. _They _were supposed to save the girls, but it seemed the girls had disappeared and 5 more girls had come to save the day. What a bummer!

            The Sailor Soldiers sighed together and smiled tiredly.

            "Well, we got them." Sailor Moon said cheerfully, "That was a hard fight."

            "Yeah," Venus agreed, "I'm totally famished. Hey, what about a night in the Spa!"

            "Yeah!" Jupiter, Moon, Mars and Mercury agreed enthusiastically.

            They turned to the boys and smiled. Sailor Moon winked at them. "Thanks for all your help!" 

            "Help?" Duo groaned, who was scratched and beat up to a great extent. "How did we help?"

            "You distracted the monsters long enough for us to come," Venus answered, "'kay?"

            "Where did the girls go?" Wufei asked, looking around.

            "We got them out." Sailor Mars lied, frowning a bit at him, "They're safe." Wufei eyed her suspiciously but she turned away.

            "We've got to go." Jupiter declared, "Sayonara!" Before the two boys can protest, they jumped and disappeared from out of sight, leaving them breathless and awed.

            *~*

            (About 8 hours later)

            After Raye, Lita, Mina, Amy and Serena were all checked up, the hospital allowed them home where Aiko and Jeremy awaited them anxiously.

            "You know," Amy, murmured to the others, "I think we could've gone better off just letting them steal the chocolates."

            "You think?" Lita wondered, "Yeah, strange isn't it?"

            "RAYE!!" Aiko had blindly sprang out of her chair and hugged Raye tightly, "You're alright! I was so worried!" 

            "That's alright," Raye groaned, "Aiko, let go, ouch!" Aiko released her cousin and started sniffing.

            "Sorry…" she groaned, "I was so afraid I was going to lose you and I can't let that happen ever!" 

            "Uh…" Raye didn't seem really fazed by Aiko's feelings, but rather seemed anxious and a bit angered herself. "Aiko, I need to talk to you." Aiko stopped her sobbing and blinked.

            "What about?" she asked.

"In the room." Raye answered, "C'mon."

            *~*

            "Sailor Soldiers," Uraline gasped, "They destroyed our first troops."

            "Did you underestimate our enemy?" Lady Akhile asked strictly, her face softened, "Besides, we got a good amount of the earth chocolates!"

            "Yeah," Uraline agreed, she bit her lips and looked a little disappointed. "But we still failed…"

            "Stop worrying!" Lady Akhile trilled, "It'll give you wrinkles! Besiiiides! If it take that much to destroy only one of our troops, they will not be able to handle the other 40 we planned for them!"

            "Yes, there were 5 at the shop," Uraline said quietly, "and I know there are more."

            "I'm seeing wrinkles!" Lady Akhile teased in a singsong voice. Uraline grimaced and sweat dropped.

_            A/N: How'd ya like that? ^^_


	8. Wufei Chang and Ichiro Anami

**A Fire Rekindled**

****

By Erebus Darkness (Formerly Kitty-Power)

_A/N: Okay, I think I'm wondering a little bit away from the Romeo and Juliet plot but I added something extra so it should be changed a little. _

_After this chapter, mostly a lot of little things would be revealed. Promise. Maybe._

**Chapter 8: _Wufei Chang and Ichiro Anami_**

"There are no real proofs that these 'monsters' were actually in the sweetshop 'Candy Palace'. Many of the witnesses say they heard a ferocious roar, and when they looked up, it appeared to be a demon like creature. Other witnesses say that they were scary but harmless since it seems to have no motives to attack the people." 

This is what was on the news that very night. Mina, Serena, Lita, Amy, Raye and Aiko sat around the TV in one of the room that had large black T.V.

"So?" asked Aiko slowly, "Is this what you wanted me to know?"

"No." responded Raye coldly, "Listen, I'm sure it'll come up."

"What are we waiting for?" asked Lita, wearing a slanted frown. 

The TV Continued: "It was said that two teenaged boys, by the name of Duo Maxwell and Wufei Chang, (At this, Aiko gripped her shirt, which no one or Raye, noticed at the time.) Set a small bomb up in the blocked entrance. Police says they managed to blow a hole, but the door, _reconstructed_ itself to close up. Maxwell and Chang ran into in time before it closed up. Reports on what happened inside is still unknown, we'll have a live interview with Duo Maxwell, when we come back, and, what about what Relena Darlian/ Peacecraft and the rest of the Kingdom board members have to say about this and much more. This is Joy Lynbrook, reporting live from SKN, Channel 5."

"Why aren't they interested in the 5 girls trapped in there?" Mina asked jokingly, pretending to be annoyed, "Really, I mean…we should know about these monsters, don't we?"

Amy smiled, nodded and then turned to Raye, "Raye, what _were_ you waiting for again?"

"Good question." Aiko murmured irritably, "What?"

"Don't act like an idiot," snapped Raye, making her friends jump in surprise. Aiko remained calm. Raye's face was poison, glaring at Aiko with such anger that Amy found herself feeling uncomfortable.

"I have absolutely no intentions of answering any of your questions." She said coolly, completely unaffected by Raye (well, she was blind), "Nor I am I allowed to, in fact. Why do you think your father was so hard on me at last night's dinner? He was _reminding _me, merely. He knew I let slip some things."

 Raye was quiet for a while then said in a sort of a mumble, "You failed then, huh?"

"Oh yes, I definitely have." Replied Aiko, rather too calm and cool, unlike the Aiko that warmly and happily welcomed Raye and Serena. "But it's not _my _fault was it? A rather strange coincidence, really." 

"Raye, Aiko," Amy interjected timidly, "Would you mind?"

"Oh not at all." Said Aiko lightly with a small grin, "Years ago, there were two clans, ours and Long. Its sort of like Romeo and Juliet, Raye being Juliet and dear Chang being Romeo. Then I lost my eyesight, and then we moved, far away. L5 blows up; everyone thinks he's dead. He's not. Raye finds out. Now this is where we are."

Amy, Serena, Mina and Lita stared at her, lost for words and a little taken aback.

"Chang?" Ami asked, "Wufei Chang? In the TV?" Aiko nodded. Raye avoided eye contact and stared at the door. 

"That guy." Mina piped, "At the store? Wait…is _that _guy?"

"If his name was Wufei Chang." Said Aiko pleasantly, drumming her pale fingers at the side of her chair. 

"That guy…" mused Serena, trying to think, "That guy!"

"Oh yes, that guy!" shouted Raye exasperatedly, "Wufei Chang was that guy."

"Oh…" 

**

"Don't touch!"

"Please sir, stay still!" the nurse barked, "It'll hurt more if you move!"

"It hurts like hell without you touching it!" Wufei snapped.

"Temper Temper!" the nurse growled, "It's not going to get you anywhere!"

"I'm not trying to go anywhere!" Wufei retorted.

"Really now?" asked the nurse, slyly.

"Will you shut up?"

"How rude, dear boy." The nurse mused, but her gray eyes flashed dangerously at him, "It won't do you too good."

Wufei glared at the nurse but she only continued bandaging Wufei's arm, smiling vaguely.

Duo on the other hand was happily giving an interview, in which Wufei's opinion, was heavily exaggerated.

"Those things in there were demons, hideous creatures!" Duo was telling the reporters, " and the girls in there really looked beat up, so we had to do something to save them."

"Oh how brave! Can you describe them?" prompted the reporter.

"The girls or the monsters?"

**

While….

"Look! That Duo guy is talking about us!" Serena exclaimed excitedly like a little kid, pointing at the TV. At the same time, the door opened and Sammy entered, his flushed with excitement. 

"Hey, Serena!" he ran to his sister, "Did you guys really see Sailor Moon? They're talking about you in the TV right now!"

"We know that Sammy." Answered Serena coldly.

"Sammy?" it was Aiko who spoke, "Is my uncle watching this?'

"Yeah," answered Sammy, "Why?"

"Nothing…"

"You're in it for sure…" Raye whispered just enough so only Aiko can hear her, but Aiko pretended not to notice.

ON TV:

"That was an exclusive interview of Duo Maxwell, 18, from SKN news. We have been trying to get an interview from his friend, Wufei Chang, but he has still refused to speak. Now we are going over to the interview with Relena Darlian Peacecraft."

"Relena Peacecraft." Aiko mused, "Quite a person that one."

"She's one of the leaders isn't she?" questioned Amy, "She's only a year older then us. Amazing, I think."

"Really?" Mina squeaked, "Wow, that _is_ amazing."

"She was once proclaimed the Queen of the World." Aiko explained, "Do you know?" 

"I've heard." Amy said, thinking. This had caught Serena's attention. She wheeled on them.

"Who else been claimed the Queen of the World?" she demanded worryingly.

"Relena Darlian Peacecraft." Amy answered, grinning, "But don't worry, she's not anymore."

"Why does she have to worry?" asked Aiko, almost suspiciously, "It's not like we'll ever be close to even be just a candidate."

"Nothing." Serena muttered, flushing, "Nothing at all." 

Sammy interrupted impatiently, "Did you guys really see the Sailor Soldiers up close?"

"Yes we did, now shut up and go away!" Serena snapped frustratingly.

"But—Fine!" Sammy marched out of the room and slammed the door loudly.

"I should've left that kid at the airport with the stupid knife!" Serena fumed moments after, pouting.   

            There was another slamming of the door. Everyone silenced, jumped and looked around wildly.

            "Hey!" Mina said suddenly, "Where'd Raye go?

            ~@@~

            "C'mon Wu-man!" Duo cried, running after his Chinese companion. "They just want a short interview."

            Wufei ignored this, and quickened his angry pace.

            "C'mon!" cried Duo again, throwing up his hands, "I mean, don't you want to be in the spotlight once in a while?"

            "No, I don't." Wufei responded, grinding his teeth.

            "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy!" Wufei teased childishly, grinning stupidly.

            Wufei rounded on him menacingly, causing Duo to halt suddenly and silence.

            "For your information." He began in a low voice, "This is not a game, nor a work! AND, I don't want to give an interview! Leave me alone baka!" He turned and kept on walking.

            "Hey, what about that girl?" tried Duo in a keen voice, "The raven haired babe?"

            "What about her?"

            "You know her, don't you?"

            "What makes you think that idiotic thought?"

            "I don't know, " answered Duo slyly, he had bravely decided to walk beside Wufei, "I saw that kinda look."

            "What look?" Wufei barked.

            "You know…" murmured Duo, _"That_ kind of look…"

            "You're an idiot Maxwell."

            "Hey, maybe not."

~@@~

            Raye marched angrily all the way back to her room and shut herself in. It was so annoying the way they are! The whole lot of them! Raye couldn't call anyone family now, besides Grandpa. Out of her clan, she trusted Aiko the most, and look at her! She turned on her, she's become her uncle's little zombie, and her warped up her easily manipulated mind just the way he wanted. And now he wanted to do that to her? Impossible! 

            Raye paced angrily around the room, her arms laced at her breast. Surges of anger came upon her as she stared at the carpet floor in rage. 

            Someone knocked on the door. Raye jumped in surprise, and then became angry. 

            She stepped to the door and flung it open, getting ready to scream at the person outside.

            Without looking she screamed, "WHAT?!" 

            "Whoa, they weren't kidding when they said you were a feisty one." 

            Stunned Raye stared at the person who said this, it was a young man, towering over her by a foot maybe, with his black sunglasses (At night?), black t-shirt and baggy classic blue jeans. 

            "Who the hell are you?" Raye asked coldly.

            "I _could _be your new best friend." He said with a roguish grin.

            "I don't _need _a new best friend." Returned Raye tartly, "Go away."

            "Ai, don't be so sure." The man said in an almost sing song voice. 

            "Oh yeah?"

            "Yep, know who I am?"

            "Should I?"

            "Well, not really, maybe, yes…"

            "Don't know, who are you?"

            He grinned and mocked a respectful bow, while saying, "I'd be Ichiro Anami."

            This didn't make such a dramatic effect as he might've intended. Raye stared at him, slightly puzzled, then said, "Who?" 

            "What?" he exclaimed incredulously, "They never told me about you?"

            "Wait a second," said Raye, running her thumb and index finger over her forehead, "Ichiro, that rings a bell."

            "It should," Ichiro muttered, sounding offended. Raye dropped an eyebrow with thought, and then seemed to hit something. She looked at Ichiro, slowly and slyly.

            "I know who you are now," said Raye, in a low menacing voice, "Aiko told me about you."

            "Good!" he cried, grinning, "Someone's smart!"

            "Now you can go away."

            Ichiro's grinned disappeared; he looked at Raye, looking somewhat stunned.

            "What?"

            "You can go away, leave." She repeated.

            "Why?"

            "Because I don't want the pleasure of your company. And because I will beat into pulp if you don't, got it?"

            Both his brows raised, his ink eyes widened, but besides that, he looked impressed.

            He grinned, "You really are you're father's daughter."

            Raye slammed the door and dived into her bed. 

            Minutes later, Raye heard the door creak open slowly, and footsteps coming in.

            "Raye." 

_Ichiro, _she thought crossly, _I will kill you._

"Hey, Hino." 

Raye sat up and yelled, "WHAT?"

Ichiro literally jump back, shocked, his glasses slightly a skewed. Raye noticed there were purple bruises around his eyes.

"I just want to tell you something!" he shouted at her when he came out of his shock, "Geez! Wouldn't hurt to just listen y'know?"

"Make it quick then." Decided Raye hastily, glowering at his glasses.

"Fine." He muttered irritably, "There's one more reason I won't marry you."

Raye gave him a sardonic grin, then let out a sharp sigh of disgust.

"First of all," Ichiro started, "As I said, I detest to marry you."

"Same here."

"Secondly, I have persuaded your cousin to tell me everything about you."

"Wouldn't be that hard huh," muttered Raye, "She's a little brainless little klutz."

"Thirdly, I am here to make a deal."

"What kind?"

"As I said, I know why you hate your father. I know what happened on L5."

Raye grinned at him with a fake sugariness. "Lucky you."

"I know who he is." 

Raye froze at this sentence, and then unfroze to get out of bed, throwing Ichiro a suspicious glare.

"What?"

"Chang."

"Yeah?"

"He works part time as a Preventer."

"And you are?"

"A junior Preventer."

"And you know him?"

"He doesn't talk much."

"But you know him?"

"Yeah."

There was s long, silent and anxious mute, a pause in which Raye's eyes glazed in wonder. Ichiro was staring expectantly at Raye.

He cleared his throat.

"Raye," he said quietly, "I have to be back soon." Raye looked at him.

"But what can I do?" she asked weakly, slowly transcending down to her bed, "He probably forgotten me."

"Never hurt to try."

"Yes it does." She mumbled miserably. Now she looked at Ichiro expectantly.

"Can you?" asked she.

Ichiro grinned good-naturedly. "Sure. And what you have to do is not marry me."

"Done."

His grin had gotten wider. "You really are amazing, Raye Hino. You're beautiful, fiery and smart."

"And you're so happy not tpo marry me," teased Raye, slightly smiling a real smile. He laughed and said passionately, "I've got another beauty that has stolen my heart."

"Corny."

He laughed again.

"Maybe."

Ichiro was presently at the door now. He put his hand on the knob, and then looked at her.

"They lied to you didn't they?" he asked softly.

"Hm?"

"Your cousins, your father, your family?" he said, "They told you he was dead."

"We all thought so. L5 blew up."

"Yeah." Ichiro opened the door, looking somewhat disconcerted, but before leaving, he looked at Raye again. 

            Ichiro chuckled lightly. "Funny isn't it? That out of all the millions of people on L5 that could've survived, it just happened to be him."

            Raye grinned. "'Tis destiny."

            "Maybe." And he left. 

            Moments after, Raye regretted about not asking him about his bruises hid behind the black sunglass. And then suddenly, she pitied him. He was in the same situation as her probably, manipulative parents, blind with money, making their lives miserable. Yes, Raye was now miserable once again. She was far off happier fighting off monsters. 

A/n: And the second part's over. ^^ Well, I never divided into parts, just pretend. Now it is confirmed to Raye, really confirmed. 

No teaser for this chapter. Sorry. 


End file.
